Kynan Chenai, Neeru Dhanda win India's first Asian Games trap mixed team gold with record
The Indian pair scored 34 in the final at Nagoya to break the Asian record of 30 that Qatar set in January, beating Qatar and China.
India's shooters showed their precision on the 12th day of the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya and made history. The Indian mixed pair of Kynan Darius Chenai and Neeru Dhanda won the gold medal in the trap mixed team final.
The two had finished fourth in qualification. They nevertheless made a remarkable comeback in the final, beating the strong Qatari pair of Mohammed Al-Rumaihi and Rae Basil to take the medal.
The Indian pair not only won gold but also set a new continental record in shooting. Kynan and Neeru broke the Asian record with 34 points in the final. The previous Asian record was 30 points, set by a Qatari team in January this year. In other words, the Indian pair broke Qatar's own record.
Qatar finished second in the final with 32 points and had to settle for silver. The Chinese pair of Qi Ying and Sun Yunong won bronze with 23 points. The three medals in the final thus went to pairs from India, Qatar and China.
Kiren Rijiju congratulated Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai. He said it was India's first gold in the trap mixed team event at the Asian Games. He also noted the new Asian record of 34 out of 40 targets.
For 26-year-old Neeru Dhanda, these Asian Games have been a dream come true. On Tuesday she made history by winning gold with an Asian record in the women's individual trap event. She became the first Indian woman shooter to win an individual trap medal at the Asian Games.
She then paired with Kynan Chenai in the mixed team event and set another Asian record. It was Neeru Dhanda's second successive gold at the Games, and India's second gold in 24 hours. With this, India's total medal tally stands at 54, including 8 gold medals.
