Nagoya, September 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda completed a remarkable Asian Games campaign in Aichi-Nagoya on Wednesday, overcoming an illness that had put her participation in doubt to win two gold medals and a silver.
Neeru first created history by winning individual gold in trap, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the Asian Games title in the event. She then added a team silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer before partnering Kynan Chenai to mixed team gold.
The mixed team victory was particularly significant as Neeru and Kynan entered the medal round in fourth position before fighting their way into the gold-medal contest and defeating Qatar.
Yet, for Neeru, the defining memory of the Games will not necessarily be a particular shot or medal ceremony. Instead, she said she would remember the difficult preparation and recovery that allowed her to compete in the first place.
“No, it doesn’t feel like just another competition, but yet, I haven’t really had that moment where it has sunk in that I’ve won the elusive gold. I haven’t had the time to sit alone and truly take it in, to feel that I’ve achieved what I had imagined,” Neeru told IANS in an exclusive conversation.
“I haven’t had much time to sit and think about the win,” she added.
Neeru had spent several days recovering from illness before the Games, with her participation uncertain. She credited her coach with helping her remain focused during that difficult period.
“At that time, I had to keep myself motivated. Firstly, I needed to focus on improving my health. After that, I would think about what came next,” she said.
Her coach reminded her of the years of preparation behind her and urged her to look beyond the few difficult days.
“He said that after an illness, once you recover, you feel fresh again. He told me to take care of myself, eat well, and remind myself that I had trained for a whole year and had been training continuously for the past five or six years for a purpose, for a reason. So, these four or five days can’t shake me,” Neeru said.
Her mixed team gold alongside Kynan also demanded a strong recovery after their qualification performance. Since communication is restricted during shooting, Neeru said Kynan used gestures to encourage her to remain in the fight.
“When we’re out there, we’re unable to talk, but he constantly gestured to push me; he said I have to fight, I have to fight till the last shot,” she recalled.
A technical interruption gave the pair a brief opportunity to speak, during which they agreed to focus on one shot at a time rather than think too far ahead.
The three medals, Neeru said, each demanded a different kind of contribution. While the individual event placed greater emphasis on handling the final, the team events required all members to support and push one another.
“In a team event, the contribution of the whole team is more important,” she said, crediting Aashima and Manisha for supporting her during the competition and playing a role in her individual gold as well.
Neeru also acknowledged the support of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the coaching staff in strengthening the country’s shooting programme.
She said the increase in training camps and attention to players’ support requirements, including physiotherapists, psychologists and coaching staff, had helped the team prepare better.
Neeru also spoke about her partnership with Kynan, saying their approaches were similar, particularly because both have trained under Mansher “Joey” Singh.
“I really like his process. The way I do things easily, I think it’s similar to him as well. The way I execute my breathing. I think that’s the strongest thing,” she said.
Reflecting on the Games, Neeru said the circumstances surrounding her participation would remain her biggest memory.
“I will always remember the preparation that went into winning this medal. I will never forget it,” she said.
“At one point, I was just thinking that somehow, I had to make it there. That will be my biggest memory because never in my life had I been so sick that I had to wonder whether I would even be able to compete.”
For Neeru, the two gold medals and silver therefore represent more than the results recorded on the shooting range.
“So I will always remember how I won this medal and the things that went into winning this medal beyond the shooting range,” she said.
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