Neeru Dhanda wins India’s first individual gold in women’s trap shooting at Asian Games 2026

India’s Neeru Dhanda clinched the gold medal in the women’s trap shooting event at the Asian Games, securing the country’s first-ever individual gold medal in the discipline.

Dhanda entered the competition in strong form after a historic ISSF World Cup gold in Lonato, Italy, where she became the first Indian woman to win an individual World Cup title in trap.

She had underlined her credentials in the Asian Games qualification by hitting 48 of 50 targets to emerge joint leader. Dhanda missed just two targets across the opening two rounds, returning scores of 24 and 24 to finish level at the top with Qatar’s Bassil Ray.


Her performance also kept India in contention for the women’s team medal, with Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer combining for 130 points to occupy joint second place alongside Qatar and Kuwait. China led the team standings with 136.

Ahlawat shot 20 and 22 for 42, while Keer managed 19 and 21 for 40.

The trap qualification was spread over three days, with shooters completing two rounds of 25 targets each on the first two days before a fifth and final round on the third day. The top three teams at the end of qualification secured the team medals, while the eight highest-ranked shooters advanced to the individual final.

Dhanda’s gold comes after a season in which her confidence had risen following her breakthrough triumph in Lonato. Her World Cup victory there had made her the first Indian woman to win an individual World Cup title in trap.

India had returned from the previous edition in Hangzhou with seven shooting gold medals.