Neeru Dhanda wins historic trap shooting gold at Asiad 2026

Neeru Dhanda scripted a significant milestone for Indian shooting on Thursday, capturing the women's trap shooting gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. The achievement marks the first time an Indian woman has won gold in this Olympic discipline at the continental Games.

Dhanda secured her place in the individual final by finishing joint top of the qualification standings alongside Qatar's Ray Bassil, with both shooters recording 118 points. Her strong performance in qualifying positioned her well for the medal contest that followed.

The trap shooting event, an Olympic discipline that requires shooters to hit clay targets launched into the air, has been an increasingly competitive arena at the Asian Games. Dhanda's gold represents a breakthrough moment for Indian women in shooting sports, a field where the country has made gradual but steady progress in recent years.

Her victory adds to India's medal tally at the 2026 Games and underscores the growing depth of talent in the country's shooting contingent. The achievement is expected to provide encouragement to other aspiring shooters and strengthen India's presence in Olympic shooting disciplines across the continental circuit.