Neeru Dhanda creates history with Asian Games gold in women's trap

Neeru Dhanda scripted history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian shooter to win an individual gold medal in the women's trap event at the Asian Games. She also helped India secure a silver medal in the team competition in the same event.

The 26-year-old Haryana shooter won the individual gold at the Aichi Prefecture General Shooting Gallery with a record-breaking score of 28. Her tally was four points higher than the previous Asian record of 24.

China's Sun Yunong finished second with 26 points, while Kuwait's Abdulmalik Hajar took the bronze after scoring 21.

Dhanda dedicated her gold medal to the Indian Army soldiers and late Raja Randhir Singh, who had won India's first Asian Games trap gold in the men's individual event in 1978.

She said her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, who won a trap silver at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, inspired her to take up the sport. Dhanda later shifted to the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy in Bhopal, where she received free access to a gun and ammunition.

Dhanda's victory also marked the first time an Indian woman had won an individual medal in trap shooting at the Asian Games.

After Randhir Singh's gold in the 1978 men's individual trap event, Ronjan Sodhi became the second Indian to win a men's trap gold at the Asian Games when he finished on top in the double trap event at the 2010 edition.

Dhanda entered the eight-shooter final after finishing joint first in qualification with Qatar's Ray Bassil on 118 points, a Games record.

India's women's team, comprising Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer, finished second with a combined score of 328. China won the team gold with 346, while Kuwait claimed bronze with 325.

The Chinese team featured Liu Shanshan, Sun Yunong and Zhu Jingyu, while Kuwait's medal-winning trio comprised Alhawal Shahad, Abdulmalik Hajar and Alhawal Sarah.

Ahlawat and Keer finished 16th and 23rd respectively in the individual qualification and did not make the final.

India's men's trap team finished sixth among 10 teams. Shapath Bharadwaj, however, reached the final after securing the eighth and last qualification spot following a shoot-off against Mohammed Al-Rumaihi.

The 24-year-old from Meerut was eventually eliminated early and finished eighth in the final.

Bharadwaj, Kynan Chenai and Ahvar Rizvi recorded a combined score of 339 for India. Kuwait won the men's team gold with 355, followed by Qatar with 349 and Kazakhstan with 348.

At the previous Asian Games in China, India's men's trap team of Chenai, Zoravar Singh Sandhu and Prithviraj Tondaiman had won gold.

Dhanda's triumph was India's second shooting gold at the ongoing Games. Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet had earlier won gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

India have so far won five gold medals at the current edition of the Asian Games.