Nagoya, September 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda scripted history at the Asian Games by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in trap shooting at the continental event, overcoming a serious health setback that had left her hospitalised just 10 days before the competition.
The historic gold capped a remarkable comeback for Dhanda, who also secured a team silver medal earlier in the day. Despite being unable to train properly during the lead-up to the Games, she delivered a record-breaking performance in challenging weather conditions to claim the individual title.
Reflecting on her health struggles, Dhanda said she never thought she would miss the Asian Games, although her condition had been poor in the days before the event.
“No, it wasn’t like I thought I would miss it (Asian Games), but my condition was quite bad. I didn’t train during the whole camp and stayed in my room most of the time,” she said.
“For five days, I didn’t even eat anything — I was just on water. Then after that, I spoke to my coach daily. Mansher Singh is my coach, and he has trained me right from the grassroots level. Even after coming here, I was talking to him on the phone every day. So every day he kept me motivated, saying, ‘It’s okay, even if you don’t shoot for 4-5 days, it makes no difference. You are super, and you will remain a star,’” Dhanda told reporters after her victory.
The final at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery was held amid continuous heavy rain, but Dhanda remained composed and hit 28 of the 30 targets to set a new Asian record. She surpassed the previous record of 24 hits by four successful shots.
Dhanda said her commitment to winning for those who supported her helped her overcome both her health difficulties and the adverse weather.
“Hurdles don’t matter when you have complete commitment in your heart—that I have to win for my family, my country, the Indian Army, the MP State Shooting Academy, my federation, and SAI,” she said.
“So many people are standing behind me, and that gives me the motivation that when they are putting in so much hard work behind me, my job is very small in comparison: I just have to win, follow my process, and repeat it,” she added.
Dhanda, a cousin of 2018 Asian Games trap silver medallist Lakshay Sheoran, said she was introduced to shooting after encouragement from his parents. She recalled being inspired by Lakshay’s medal-winning performance, which motivated her to take up the sport.
“Lakshay’s mother and father motivated me. I was inspired by his medal back then. Before that, I didn’t even know what shooting was,” she said.
She also spoke about her family’s financial circumstances and acknowledged the support she received from the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy.
“My father is a farmer. My mother is a housewife. My mother takes care of everything, and my father does too. Our financial situation is not good. MP State Shooting Academy has been supporting us. That’s how I came here,” she said.
Dhanda had earlier won gold at the 2026 Lonato del Garda World Cup, adding the Asian Games title to her achievements. However, she said the Olympics remain a major goal and that she is preparing for the next step in her career.
“Both (World Cup and Asian Games gold) are equal for me. But you know which one is bigger. We are preparing for that. We will say when we win that. We are preparing for that step by step,” she said.
From being hospitalised shortly before the competition to setting a new Asian record and winning a historic gold, Dhanda’s performance marked a significant achievement for Indian trap shooting.
FOLLOW NOW
