Neeru Dhanda has created a major chapter in Indian shooting history by winning the gold medal in the women’s individual trap event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The 26-year-old shooter from Haryana produced a remarkable performance in the final on Tuesday, September 29, scoring 28 hits out of 30 targets. Her score surpassed the previous Asian Games record of 24, giving her the individual gold medal as well as a new Asian record.
The achievement is significant for Indian shooting because Neeru became the first Indian woman to win an individual medal in trap or skeet shooting at the Asian Games. She also became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in the women’s trap event.
Neeru’s performance came in an eight-shooter final. China’s Yunong Sun finished with 26 hits to take the silver medal, while Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik secured the bronze medal with 21 hits. Neeru’s two-hit advantage over the Chinese shooter was enough to secure the top position and a historic gold for India.
The victory also ended a long wait for India in the individual trap event. India’s previous individual trap gold at the Asian Games came in 1978, when Randhir Singh won the men’s individual trap title in Bangkok. Neeru has now become the second Indian to win individual trap gold at the Asian Games, while also becoming the first Indian woman to achieve the feat.
Neeru had already demonstrated excellent form during the qualification stage. She scored 118 points to finish joint-top in qualification alongside Qatar’s Ray Bassil. That qualification score also equalled a Games record and secured Neeru a place in the eight-shooter final.
Her Asian Games campaign had already produced one medal before the individual final. Neeru teamed up with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer in the women’s trap team event, where the Indian trio won the silver medal. India finished with a combined score of 328 points, behind China’s gold-medal winning score of 346. Kuwait took the bronze with 325 points.
Neeru was the leading Indian performer in the individual qualification. Aashima Ahlawat recorded 106 points and finished 16th, while Manisha Keer scored 104 and finished 23rd. As a result, Neeru was the only Indian shooter from the team to progress to the individual final.
The Asian Games gold adds to what has already been a breakthrough year for Neeru Dhanda. In July 2026, she won the women’s trap gold at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy. That victory made her the first Indian woman to win an individual ISSF World Cup gold medal in the trap event.
Neeru’s progress in shooting has also been influenced by her family’s connection with the sport. Her cousin Lakshay Sheoran won a silver medal in men’s trap shooting at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. According to the Indian Express, Neeru was inspired by the celebrations surrounding Lakshay’s achievement and later decided to pursue shooting after initially playing kabaddi.
Her latest victory therefore represents not only an important result for Indian shooting but also a significant milestone in the development of women’s trap shooting in the country. Before Neeru’s achievement, no Indian woman had won an individual Asian Games medal in trap or skeet shooting. Her gold has now opened a new chapter in the discipline.
The result also adds to India’s shooting success at the 2026 Asian Games. Neeru’s gold was India’s fifth gold medal of the Games as of September 29, according to reports. The shooting competition has already produced several strong performances for the Indian contingent, including Esha Singh’s silver in the women’s 25m pistol event.
Neeru Dhanda’s achievement is particularly notable because she combined consistency in qualification with an even stronger performance when the individual medals were decided. After scoring 118 in qualification, she improved further in the final and finished with 28 hits, breaking the previous continental mark of 24.
With the women’s trap individual gold now secured, Neeru has emerged as one of the standout Indian shooters at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Her combination of an individual gold medal, an Asian Games record and a historic first for Indian women makes the result one of the significant moments of India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games.
