Asian Games 2026 Updates: Who is Neeru Dhanda? Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda created history at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Tuesday (Sep 29) by winning the women’s individual trap gold medal. Dhanda topped both the qualification and final to secure India’s fifth gold medal of the Games and become India’s first individual gold medalist in Aichi-Nagoya. Here is everything you need to know about Neeru Dhanda, including her age, records, achievements, medals and more.
Who is Neeru Dhanda?
- Full Name: Neeru Dhanda
- Date of Birth: May 25, 2000
- Age: 26
- Birthplace: Jind, Haryana
- Country: India
- Sport: Shooting
- Event: Trap
- Coach: Peter Wilson
- Occupation: Indian Army Marksmanship Unit shooter, Naib Subedar
Neeru Dhanda Wins Asian Games 2026 Gold
Neeru Dhanda produced a dominant performance in the women’s individual trap final on Tuesday to win the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. She finished on top of the eight-shooter final with a score of 26 in rainy conditions, securing India’s fifth gold medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik finished with 21 points each, while Qatar’s Ray Bassil took fourth place with 16 points. Dhanda had earlier topped the individual qualification alongside Bassil, giving her the advantage in the event of a tie in the final.
How Did Neeru Dhanda Win the Gold Medal?
Dhanda started the final strongly by hitting all five targets in her opening series. She missed once in the second series but quickly recovered and remained in contention. She then produced a perfect third series to move back to the top before continuing her strong run.
After four series, Dhanda had hit 19 of 20 shots. Following 25 shots, she led Sun Yunong 23-21, while Hajar Abdulmalik was also on 21 before being eliminated. Dhanda maintained her composure in the decisive stage to finish with 26 points and secure the gold.
Neeru Dhanda's Medal Record
- Asian Games: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
- Asian Championships: 2 Gold
- ISSF World Cup: 1 Gold, 1 Bronze
- Total: 4 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Neeru Dhanda's Asian Games Achievements
- Gold Medal: Women’s individual trap, Asian Games 2026, Aichi-Nagoya
- Silver Medal: Women’s trap team, Asian Games 2026, Aichi-Nagoya
Dhanda had earlier helped India win silver in the women’s trap team event on Tuesday alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. The Indian trio finished with a combined score of 328, behind gold medallists China on 346, while Kuwait won bronze with 325. Dhanda was India’s best performer in the team event with a score of 118 out of 125.
Neeru Dhanda's Asian Championship Achievements
- Gold Medal: Women’s individual trap, Asian Championships 2025, Shymkent
- Gold Medal: Women’s trap team, Asian Championships 2025, Shymkent
Neeru Dhanda's ISSF World Cup Achievements
- Gold Medal: Women’s individual trap, 2026 ISSF World Cup, Lonato del Garda
- Bronze Medal: Mixed team trap, 2026 ISSF World Cup, Almaty
Neeru Dhanda's Remarkable 2026
The Asian Games gold capped a remarkable year for Dhanda, who won her maiden ISSF World Cup gold in the women’s trap event in Lonato, Italy, in July. The Indian Army Marksmanship Unit shooter had also won the Asian Championship title before adding the Asian Games crown to her growing list of achievements.
Who Inspired Neeru Dhanda to Take Up Shooting?
Dhanda took up shooting after being inspired by her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, who won a silver medal in the men’s trap event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. With her gold medal in Aichi-Nagoya, Dhanda has now gone one step further than Sheoran on the Asian Games stage.
Neeru Dhanda's Gold Takes India's Medal Tally to 47
Dhanda’s individual gold medal took India’s medal tally at the Asian Games 2026 to 47, comprising five gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze medals. Her success is also significant for Indian shotgun shooting, which has traditionally produced fewer major-event medals compared to the rifle and pistol disciplines.
Aditya Pimpale is a sports journalist currently working with News X, with previous experience at WION, India TV and India Today. With a keen interest in cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis and other major sporting disciplines, he brings a versatile perspective to sports journalism. Aditya has extensive on-ground reporting experience, having covered multiple IPL seasons, including the 2025 and 2026 finals from the stadium. He also covered the 2026 T20 World Cup from the ground, including the final in Ahmedabad. His work focuses on breaking news, match reports, analysis, interviews, features, sports trends and engaging digital storytelling.
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