Neeru Dhanda wins Asian Games gold, sets Asian record in women's trap
Synopsis
Neeru Dhanda has done what no Indian woman had before — win an Asian Games individual gold in women's trap. The 26-year-old Army shooter from Haryana posted 28 hits, set a new Asian record, and completed a remarkable 2026 double after her historic ISSF World Cup gold in Italy. India's shotgun shooting will never look the same again.
Key Takeaways
Neeru Dhanda won gold in women's trap individual final at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on 29 September 2026 .
Her score of 28 hits set a new Asian record ; China's Sun Yunong took silver with 26, Kuwait's Hajar Abdulmalik bronze with 21.
She is the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in the individual trap event.
Earlier in 2026 , Dhanda became the first Indian woman to win an individual World Cup gold in women's trap at Lonato, Italy .
She serves as a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army Marksmanship Unit and was inspired to take up shooting by her cousin Lakshay Sheoran , a 2018 Asian Games silver medallist.
Neeru Dhanda on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in the individual women's trap event, finishing with a commanding 28 hits in the final at Aichi-Nagoya — a score that also set a new Asian record. The 26-year-old shooter from Jind, Haryana, claimed the title ahead of China's Sun Yunong (26 hits, silver) and Kuwait's Hajar Abdulmalik (21 hits, bronze).
A Historic First for Indian Trap Shooting
No Indian woman had previously won an Asian Games medal in the individual trap event. Dhanda's gold also arrives in the context of India's broader shooting legacy, which has historically been stronger in rifle and pistol disciplines than in shotgun events. This victory, therefore, marks a significant structural milestone for Indian trap shooting — not merely a personal triumph.
It is the second podium finish for Dhanda at these Games. She had earlier contributed to India's team silver in the women's trap event before returning to the range to deliver what proved to be a gold-medal performance in the individual final.
How the Final Unfolded
Dhanda began with a clean opening series but dropped one target in her second run, briefly falling behind Sun and Abdulmalik. Rather than allowing the miss to compound, she responded with two successive flawless series to reassert control. At the halfway mark, she had struck 19 of 20 targets and opened a two-hit cushion over her closest rivals. The final five shots were a formality — she converted all of them to close on 28 and complete a performance that was firmly in her command for the second half of the contest.
The Rapid Rise of a Record-Setter
Dhanda, who trains at Dr KSSR in New Delhi and serves in the Indian Army Marksmanship Unit as a Naib Subedar, made her international debut at the 2022 ISSF World Championship in Osijek. Her ascent since has been swift. She claimed the women's trap title at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship, then made history at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual World Cup gold in women's trap. A mixed-team bronze at the World Cup in Almaty further underlined her consistency on the global circuit.
Notably, Dhanda took up shooting after being inspired by her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, who won silver in men's trap at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. Seven years later, she has not just matched that achievement — she has surpassed it.
What This Means Going Forward
The Asian Games gold, combined with her World Cup victory earlier in 2026, firmly establishes Dhanda among India's top medal hopes in future international cycles. For Indian shooting's shotgun contingent — long overshadowed by rifle and pistol medal-winners — her breakthrough could accelerate investment in the discipline and inspire a new cohort of trap shooters. The sport's selectors and federation are likely to fast-track her preparation for upcoming global events.
Point of View
Trap and skeet events were the blank pages in India's shooting medal cabinet, with the country's podium finishes clustering in rifle and pistol. Dhanda's breakthrough, built on a World Cup win in Italy and now an Asian record in Nagoya, signals that the gap is closing. The question now is institutional: will the sport's administrators back this momentum with structured funding and elite training pathways, or will Dhanda remain a solitary outlier in a discipline that still lacks depth? Her cousin Lakshay Sheoran's 2018 silver inspired her — the hope is that her own gold inspires the next generation before another seven years pass.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Neeru Dhanda and why is she significant?
Neeru Dhanda is a 26-year-old Indian trap shooter from Jind, Haryana, who serves as a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army Marksmanship Unit. She made history on 29 September 2026 by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in the individual women's trap event.
What score did Neeru Dhanda post in the Asian Games final?
Dhanda finished the women's trap individual final with 28 hits, which also set a new Asian record. China's Sun Yunong was second with 26 hits and Kuwait's Hajar Abdulmalik third with 21.
What other major titles has Neeru Dhanda won?
In 2026, Dhanda became the first Indian woman to win an individual World Cup gold in women's trap at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy. She also won the women's trap title at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship and claimed a mixed-team bronze at the World Cup in Almaty.
How did Neeru Dhanda get into shooting?
Dhanda was inspired to take up shooting by her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, who won the silver medal in men's trap at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. She made her senior international debut at the 2022 ISSF World Championship in Osijek.
What does Dhanda's gold mean for Indian trap shooting?
It is the first Asian Games individual gold for an Indian woman in trap, a discipline where India has historically underperformed relative to rifle and pistol events. The win, combined with her World Cup title, positions Dhanda as India's leading shotgun medal hope and could spur greater investment in trap and skeet disciplines.
