Neeru Dhanda completed one of the standout individual shooting campaigns at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, 30 September, claiming a third medal in as many days after she and partner Kynan Chenai defeated top-seeded Qatar in a tense gold-medal contest in the mixed team trap event. The victory, achieved with an Asian Games record, rounds off a treble spanning individual gold, team silver, and now mixed team gold — the first time an Indian woman has achieved such a sweep in the discipline at the Games.

How India Overcame a Fourth-Seed Start

The Indian pair entered the medal rounds as the lowest-ranked finalists, having placed fourth in qualification with a combined score of 136. China, Qatar, and Iran had occupied the top three spots, giving India little margin for error. The duo, however, responded with composure. Iran were eliminated first, finishing fourth, before China exited in the next stage to claim bronze. India and Qatar then contested the gold, with Dhanda and Chenai holding their nerve through the decisive exchanges to edge the top seeds and seal the title.

Dhanda's Historic Three-Medal Haul

Wednesday's gold caps a remarkable few days for Dhanda. On Tuesday, she became the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games gold in trap shooting, claiming the women's trap title. She then added a team silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. The mixed team triumph takes her total at these Games to three medals — individual gold, team silver, and mixed team gold — a tally that underlines the depth of India's trap shooting program.

Chenai's Consistent Gold Pedigree

Kynan Chenai continued his record of delivering across Asian Games editions and formats. At the 2022 Asian Games, he had claimed men's team trap gold and an individual bronze. Wednesday's mixed team gold adds to that collection and reinforces his status as one of India's most reliable shooting assets across competitions.

What NRAI Officials Said

NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo praised the achievement, saying, 'This has been an extraordinary Asian Games for our trap shooters, and today's gold is the perfect finish. For Neeru to complete a treble of medals in the space of a few days — individual gold, team silver, and now mixed team gold — is a phenomenal achievement. To do it by beating a strong Qatari pair after starting fourth in qualification shows real character. Huge credit to Kynan as well, who continues to deliver for India across formats and editions of the Games.'

NRAI Secretary General Pawan Kumar Singh added, 'What stood out today was the composure Neeru and Kynan showed after a modest qualification round. To fight back from fourth seed and beat Qatar in the gold-medal match, setting an Asian Games record along the way, speaks to the mental strength we've been building into our athletes. This kind of result across individual, team, and mixed team events shows the depth of our trap shooting program is finally translating into medals at the biggest stage.'

What This Means for Indian Shooting

This performance arrives as India's shooting contingent continues to build momentum ahead of future Olympic cycles. The fact that Dhanda and Chenai converted a fourth-seed qualification position into gold — setting a Games record in the process — points to a mental resilience that has historically been a challenge for Indian shooters on the biggest stages. Notably, India's trap program has now produced podium finishes across all three formats — individual, team, and mixed team — at a single Asian Games edition, suggesting the program's depth is finally translating into sustained results at the elite level.