Nagoya, September 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Kynan Chenai believes knowing when to stay out of each other’s way was central to his partnership with Neeru Dhanda as the Indian pair fought back from fourth place in qualification to win the inaugural Asian Games mixed-team trap gold in Nagoya on Wednesday.
The victory over Qatar also set an Asian record and earned India a quota place for the mixed-team event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where the mixed-team format is set to make its Olympic debut.
For Kynan, the partnership worked because both shooters retained their individual routines while drawing energy from each other when competing as a team.
Asked about the chemistry between the two, Kynan said in an interaction with IANS: “Neeru has her own processes, I have mine. We have our own way of getting ready for the round. We have our own way of shooting. Very individual. Because at the end of the day, this is an individual sport.”
“When we come as a team, we basically feed off each other’s energy to fight, and we never give up,” he added.
That approach was particularly important in the gold-medal final. Having already recovered from fourth place in qualification to reach the medal round, the Indians avoided adding unnecessary pressure by interfering with each other’s routines.
“In the final, basically, I didn’t want to speak too much because we were so focused on each other, what we were doing for ourselves, our process, our targets,” Kynan said.
He said he waited until the 10th target, when a medal was assured, before giving Neeru a fist bump.
“Then we both relaxed a bit and started hitting more targets, which allowed us to overtake the other teams,” he added.
The gold also provided Kynan with a chance to respond to a disappointing individual competition earlier in the Games. With mixed-team trap making its Asian Games debut, he viewed the event as a fresh opportunity.
“I had a bad individual competition. And I had a fresh start today. So, I really put all my effort into trying to hit all the targets I could. And it’s always nice when you come out on top,” said the two-time Asian Games gold medallist.
The contrasting circumstances of the two shooters added another layer to their achievement. Neeru entered the event less than 24 hours after winning individual trap gold in difficult weather conditions, while Kynan was looking to move on from his individual campaign.
Kynan praised Neeru for maintaining her composure despite the physical and mental demands of another high-pressure competition.
“She was really tired today. And I was very impressed with the way she shot,” he said, adding that she remained mentally calm despite missing targets after having been highly consistent during the preceding days.
The mixed-team gold adds to Kynan’s Asian Games record, which already includes men’s team gold and individual bronze from the 2022 edition.
He also credited coach Peter Wilson and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for their contribution to the team’s success.
Kynan praised Wilson’s enthusiasm, technical knowledge and work with the shooters, while describing the NRAI as “the backbone” of the team.
He said the federation’s support extends beyond competition, including travel arrangements, accommodation and access to support staff such as physiotherapists and psychologists.
In a discipline centred on individual precision, Kynan and Neeru combined their separate routines and strengths to produce a shared result — moving from fourth in qualification to the top of the podium and setting an Asian record in the first Asian Games mixed-team trap competition.
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