Asian Games 2026: Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai win trap mixed team Gold medal

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Indian shooters Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won the trap mixed team gold medal on Wednesday, breaking the continental record at the Asian Games in the process. 

Having qualified in fourth position, the dynamic pair displayed resilience in the final to register a winning score of 34, leaving Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Rumaihi and Ray Bassil to settle for silver with 32 points, while China’s Qi Ying and Sun Yunong claimed bronze.

The win eclipsed the previous Asian record of 30 set by Qatar earlier this January. For the 26-year-old Neeru, the gold capped off a sensational campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, following her historic individual trap gold and team silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer.

During the qualification round, Kynan Chenai guided the duo with a stellar score of 73, while Neeru managed 63 following physical strain from previous rounds.

Reflecting on their partnership, Kynan, whose father Darius was a national-level shotgun shooter, noted their prior success, including a World Cup bronze earlier this year:

“We hope to stick together as a mixed team, but all that also depends on the federation,” he said.

Addressing her qualification performance, Neeru highlighted the physical toll of her gruelling schedule. Neeru said her score in the qualification wasn’t that great because of the “stiffness caused by yesterday’s competition and the way the rain and cold affected her body.” Neeru had competed in her individual event amid relentless rain and plunging temperatures.

Neeru builds on her individual gold medal win

Earlier, shooter Neeru Dhanda put up a stellar performance to win the women’s individual trap gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, marking India’s fifth gold of the tournament.

Having earlier contributed to India’s silver-winning campaign in the women’s trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer, where her individual qualification score touched 118 out of 125, Dhanda handled difficult rainy conditions well.

She finished atop the eight-shooter final with a total score of 26, better than competitors like China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik, who finished with 21 points each, while Qatar’s Ray Bassil took fourth place with 16 points.

(With inputs from agencies)

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