Kynan Chenai's golden shot with father's 30-year-old barrel
Kynan Chenai's Asian Games gold medal came with an unusual piece of family history attached to it -- a 30-year-old gun barrel that once helped his father Darius win two national trap championships.
Kynan borrowed the barrel from his father last year, made a few modifications and has since refused to give it back. On Wednesday, it became part of a golden run as Kynan and Neeru Dhanda won the trap mixed team title with an Asian and Games record score.
"I was shooting a high-rib Perazzi gun for a while and then, exactly last year, I changed to a flat-rib gun, which ended up being my dad's barrel. I had to steal his barrel, with his knowledge," Kynan said with a laugh.
A high, flat or parallel rib on a shotgun is an elevated sighting plane that runs parallel to the barrel, raising the shooter's line of sight while maintaining a level profile from the rear of the barrel to the muzzle.
"We did a little bit of work on the barrel, and it's working really well for me. It's a very old barrel, around 30 years old. My dad won two national championships with it, so I'm using it now, and we have a good result," Kynan said.
The barrel was not the one Kynan used at the previous Asian Games, where he competed with his own high-rib Perazzi.
But after the latest triumph, he is in no hurry to change his equipment.
"Yeah, it's definitely a lucky charm. I'm not changing this anytime soon," he said.
Darius, a two-time national trap champion who continues to compete in the super senior category at national championships, may have other plans.
"I haven't spoken to him right now. He keeps saying I need to give him back my barrel. But I don't think that's happening. He's not getting it back," Kynan said.
The barrel apart, Darius remains an important part of his son's shooting journey. Kynan works with national coach Peter Wilson for technical guidance and has Czech shooter David Kostelecky as his personal coach, but his father remains a trusted sounding board.
The two had a long conversation on Tuesday after Kynan's disappointing individual campaign. It was less a reprimand than a reminder that hard work does not always translate into immediate results.
"My dad and I actually had a chat last night about my individual tournament, which didn't go so well. He was just saying that I know you put in a lot of work, but sometimes it doesn't go your way and all that. So today, I'll have a different chat with him," Kynan said.
Darius was already looking beyond the Asian Games, discussing plans for the upcoming season rather than expecting a medal the next day.
"He's just going to be really happy because the chat we had yesterday wasn't pointing towards a gold medal today," Kynan said.
"We'll settle down after today's competition and make a plan for the upcoming season. From November onwards, he's still going to make a plan. Definitely, he's not going to let me go."
The victory was Kynan's third Asian Games medal after the men's team gold and individual bronze he won in 2023.
But the two gold medals hold a special place for him, with Wednesday's triumph marking India's first Asian Games gold in the mixed team trap event.
"Both the golds, man. Definitely both the golds. Firstly, the men's team gold with Prithviraj (Tondaiman) and Zorawar (Sandhu), and secondly, this team gold. We have the Asian record, so that's special," he said.
"This one is particularly special because it's the first mixed team gold in this competition. Now we hold the Asian record as well, so that's a big thing too."
The final, however, began badly for the Indian pair.
Neeru was carrying fatigue from her individual gold-winning campaign a day earlier, which was held in relentless rain. She missed three of her first five shots, while Kynan missed once, leaving India with only six hits from the opening 10 attempts.
Kynan, though, stayed focused on his own shooting.
"Honestly, I didn't see her miss it. I just heard it. I was too busy doing what I was doing," he said.
"I know she's been really tired, shooting yesterday as well in the rain. But she needed a couple of targets to warm up. So once she got going, it was good."
Kynan then hit all his next 19 targets while Neeru found her rhythm and struck 13 in succession. The Indian pair built a three-shot lead over Qatar and held on to win gold despite Neeru missing her final two shots.
Even a five-minute interruption caused by a machine malfunction failed to disturb Kynan's rhythm. Instead, he used the break to chat and joke with Wilson.
"I tend to have a very relaxed approach when breakdowns happen or when we have to wait. I tend to chat with the coach," he said.
That relaxed approach is balanced by a disciplined focus on the process, something Wilson has repeatedly emphasised to both Kynan and Neeru.
"What that means is to be within yourself. Focus on what you can control. Focus on mounting your gun, how much time it takes to call the target. All that stuff is in our control. What's not in our control is the score. It's already written," Kynan said.
For now, Kynan can celebrate a historic gold and a third Asian Games medal. But when he finally speaks to his father after the triumph, there is one subject that is unlikely to be settled anytime soon -- the return of that 30-year-old barrel.
