Rijiju Hails India's First Asian Games Trap Mixed Team Gold
Synopsis
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai claimed India's first-ever Trap Mixed Team gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, setting a new Asian Record with a score of 34/40. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju led the congratulations, calling it a record-breaking performance that made the nation proud.
Key Takeaways
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won India's first-ever gold in the Trap Mixed Team event at the Asian Games.
The pair set a new Asian Record with a score of 34 out of 40 shots.
The gold was won at the 2026 Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated the athletes on September 30, 2026 .
India's Khelo India scheme (launched 2017) has supported elite shooting talent through structured government funding.
The result feeds into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle for Indian shooters.
India's shooting team etched history at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday, September 30 — and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju was among the first to mark the moment, celebrating a landmark gold that the country had never claimed before in this discipline.
A first-ever gold and a continental record
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai combined to win India's first-ever gold medal in the Trap Mixed Team event at the Asian Games, shooting a scoreline of 34 out of 40 — good enough to set a new Asian Record. That number tells the story cleanly: this was not a squeaky win, it was a statement. The pair did not just reach the top of the podium; they rewrote the continental benchmark in the process.
Rijiju, posting on X with the tricolour and gold medal emojis, called it a 'record-breaking performance that has made the nation proud.' The sentiment captures something real — a discipline-specific first at Asia's biggest multi-sport stage carries weight beyond a single medal.
Shooting's rising arc in Indian sport
This gold does not arrive in isolation. India has steadily built its shooting infrastructure over the past decade, with the Khelo India scheme — launched in 2017 — channelling resources toward grassroots development and elite athlete support. The results have shown up in successive Asian Games cycles, with shooting consistently among India's stronger disciplines at the continental level.
The Trap Mixed Team format itself is a relatively recent addition to the Asian Games programme, which makes Dhanda and Chenai's gold doubly significant: there was no inherited legacy to build on, only a blank page to write on. They filled it with a record.
What this means for the Olympic qualification cycle
With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle now in view, performances like this carry direct strategic value. Asian Games medals in shooting disciplines feed into world rankings and can influence Olympic quota allocations. A gold paired with a continental record puts Dhanda and Chenai firmly in the conversation for the next stage.
India's overall medal tally at Aichi-Nagoya continues to build, and the shooting team has just delivered one of its most memorable contributions to that count. The target is already set for what comes next.
Point of View
Anchored by schemes like Khelo India, is producing firsts at the continental level. For the BJP government, which has made sports diplomacy a visible part of its governance narrative, a minister of Rijiju's seniority amplifying the moment signals that these wins are being claimed as policy dividends. The timing — early in the 2028 Olympic qualification cycle — also means this performance has bureaucratic as well as symbolic weight, potentially influencing quota decisions and funding priorities for the pair going forward.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won India's first Trap Mixed Team gold at the Asian Games 2026?
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won India's first-ever gold in the Trap Mixed Team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
What score did India shoot to win the Trap Mixed Team gold?
The Indian pair shot 34 out of 40 , which was good enough to win gold and set a new Asian Record in the event.
Where are the 2026 Asian Games being held?
The 2026 Asian Games are being hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
What is the Khelo India scheme and how does it support shooters?
The Khelo India scheme , launched in 2017 , is a government programme aimed at grassroots sports development and elite athlete support, providing funding and training infrastructure that has benefited Indian shooters competing at international events.
What did Kiren Rijiju say about India's Trap Mixed Team gold?
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai, calling it a 'record-breaking performance that has made the nation proud' and noting it was India's first-ever gold in the event.
