Neeru Dhanda clinches historic gold and sets Asian Games trap record

Neeru Dhanda, a 26-year-old trap shooter from Haryana and member of the Indian Army, made history at the 2026 Asian Games by winning the women's individual trap gold, the first for an Indian woman in the event. She entered the final tied for first in qualification with Qatar's Ray Bassil, both scoring 118, a new Games qualification record. In the eight-shooter final she hit 28 targets, surpassing the previous Asian Games record of 24.

China’s Sun Yunong finished second with 26, and Kuwait’s Abdulmalik Hajar took bronze with 21. Prior to her individual triumph, Dhanda helped India secure a team silver with teammates Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. Her victory follows earlier milestones, including a 2025 Asian Shooting Championship gold and a July 2026 ISSF World Cup gold, and adds to India's limited trap gold history that previously featured Randhir Singh in 1978 and Ronjan Sodhi in 2010.