Nagoya, September 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian shooters Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai staged a remarkable comeback under pressure to clinch gold in the trap mixed team event at the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, setting a new Asian record and adding another title to India’s shooting medal haul.
The Indian pair finished ahead of Qatar, which secured silver with 32 hits, while China claimed bronze with 23. Iran finished fourth in the four-team final.
The victory marked Neeru’s second gold medal at the ongoing Games, following her triumph in the women’s individual trap event on Tuesday. She has now won three medals in Aichi-Nagoya, having also been part of the Indian women’s trap team that secured silver.
The mixed team gold was India’s third in shooting at the Games. India’s overall medal tally stood at nine gold, 21 silver and 27 bronze medals, taking their total to 57 and placing them eighth in the standings.
India had a difficult start to the final, registering just six hits from their opening 10 shots to sit at the bottom of the standings. Qatar led with seven, while China and Iran were also on six.
However, Neeru and Kynan quickly found their rhythm in the second series and went on an uninterrupted run of successful shots. Their flawless performance took India to 16 hits after 20 shots, bringing them level with Qatar and securing a place on the podium as Iran was eliminated with 12 hits.
The final was briefly interrupted by a technical glitch affecting the trap machinery at Station 1. Following the interruption, the Indian shooters resumed their impressive performance without losing momentum.
Another clean series kept India firmly in contention, before a strong finish saw the pair reach 26 hits at the 30-shot stage. China, which had started strongly, was eliminated with 23 hits, while Qatar remained India’s main challenger with 24.
Neeru and Kynan maintained their composure in the decisive phase, eventually finishing with 34 hits to secure the gold medal. Their performance surpassed the previous Asian record of 33, set by Qatar in Doha earlier in 2026.
For Neeru, the victory capped an impressive two-day run at the shooting range. After winning the individual trap gold on Tuesday, she returned less than 24 hours later to claim another title, this time partnering Kynan in the mixed team event.
Kynan also added a mixed team gold to India’s growing medal collection in shooting at the Games.
The result highlighted India’s recovery from a challenging start in the final. After initially falling behind the other teams, Neeru and Kynan delivered a sustained sequence of successful shots to turn the contest around and finish with the Asian record.
FOLLOW NOW
