Asian Games 2026: Neeru Dhanda Wins India's First Individual Gold

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Tuesday, 29 September 2026

Neeru Dhanda has created history at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, winning India’s first individual gold medal of the Games in the women’s trap shooting final. The 26-year-old shooter produced a composed performance on September 29 at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery, finishing with 28 hits from 30 shots and setting a new Asian Games record.

Key Highlights:

• Neeru Dhanda wins India’s first individual gold at Nagoya 2026
• She sets a new Asian Games record with 28 hits out of 30
• Neeru becomes the first Indian woman to win Asian Games trap gold

Neeru’s victory also made her the first Indian woman to win an individual gold in trap shooting at the Asian Games. She finished ahead of China’s Sun Yunong, who claimed silver with 26 hits, while Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik secured bronze with 21. Despite rainy conditions, Neeru maintained her focus across the six-series final and built a lead that her rivals could not overturn.

The gold is India’s fifth at the Asian Games 2026 and ends the country’s wait for an individual title at the Aichi-Nagoya edition. India had previously collected gold medals through team and mixed events, including women’s cricket, men’s and women’s kabaddi and mixed 10m air pistol. Neeru’s triumph therefore adds another landmark to the country’s medal campaign.

Her final success followed an equally strong qualification round. Neeru topped the qualification standings with 118 points out of 125, sharing the score with Qatar’s Ray Bassil and equalling the Games qualification record. She had already helped India win silver in the women’s trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer, underscoring her consistency throughout the competition.

The victory also carries historical significance for Indian trap shooting. Neeru’s gold comes 48 years after Randhir Singh won India’s men’s trap gold at the 1978 Asian Games. She has now added a major women’s milestone to that history, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games gold in the discipline.

Born in Haryana’s Jind district, Neeru serves as a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army’s Corps of Military Police and trains at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow. She has also received support through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme Development group and the Khelo India programme. Reports say she began shooting during her teenage years, initially practising with a family gun and tin cans.

Neeru’s rise has accelerated over the past two years. In 2025, she won individual trap gold at the Asian Shooting Championships in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, where she also helped India secure team gold. In 2026, she became the first Indian woman to win an individual ISSF World Cup trap gold at Lonato, Italy. She recorded 121/125 in qualification before scoring 27/30 in the final. She also earned a World Cup mixed-team bronze with Vivaan Kapoor.

With her Asian Games gold and record-breaking final, Neeru has strengthened India’s shooting campaign in Nagoya and added another defining chapter to her rapidly developing international career. Her performance also highlights the growing presence of Indian women in shooting, as athletes continue to convert strong qualification displays into medals on major international stages. For Neeru, the Nagoya triumph represents the biggest milestone of her career so far to date.