Neeru Dhanda wins Asian Games trap gold, first Indian woman to do so in 75 years
Shooter Neeru Dhanda won the women's individual trap gold at the 2026 Asian Games, India's fifth gold of the Games, despite rain during the final.
Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda made history at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. She won gold in the women's individual trap shooting event, the first time in 75 years that an Indian woman has done so. It was India's fifth gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
Neeru was born on May 25, 2000, and is a resident of Jind in Haryana. She trains at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi. Her performance has drawn wide praise.
The weather during the final was very bad, and rain interrupted play, but Neeru kept her focus and her resolve. She hit 28 targets in six series in the final to take the gold. She had also been strong in qualification, where she hit 48 of 50 targets and finished joint first, which showed her confidence and form before the final.
The gold did not come out of the blue. She has been performing well for several years, and it appears that years of hard work have finally paid off. In 2025 she won gold in the women's trap event at the Asian Shooting Championships.
In 2026 she won gold in the women's trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy. She became the first Indian woman shooter to win the individual trap gold at an ISSF World Cup. She carried that form into the Asian Games.
She had earlier won a team medal for India at the Asian Games. The Indian team of Neeru Dhanda, Ashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer won silver in the women's trap team event, scoring 328 points together and finishing second to China.
Government support has also been important in her career. She received equipment, ammunition, lodging and food, along with an allowance for incidental expenses. Under the Targeted Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) she received Rs 100,000, and under the ACTC she received more than Rs 25.09 lakh in financial assistance.
