– by Pratyusha Mukherjee, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
India clinched gold in the mixed team trap event at the Asian Games as Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai produced a stunning fightback to defeat top-seeded Qatar in the gold-medal contest.
The Indian pair entered the medal rounds as the lowest-ranked of the four finalists, having finished fourth in qualification with a score of 136. China, Qatar and Iran had all finished ahead of them.
After a relatively modest qualification round, Neeru and Kynan raised their game when it mattered most. Iran were eliminated first to finish fourth, followed by China, who secured bronze. That left India and Qatar to battle for the gold.
In challenging conditions that tested shooters throughout the day, the Indian duo remained composed, matching Qatar shot for shot before pulling ahead to seal the title and set an Asian Games record.
The victory capped a remarkable few days for Neeru, who completed a historic treble of medals in Aichi-Nagoya. She had already won individual women’s trap gold on Tuesday — becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games gold in the discipline — before adding team silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer.
Her mixed team triumph now gives her a medal in each of the individual, team and mixed team formats, underlining an extraordinary campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.
For Kynan Chenai, the gold adds another major achievement to an already impressive Asian Games record. He had previously won men’s team trap gold and individual trap bronze at the 2022 Asian Games, and his latest victory further highlights his consistency across editions and formats.
NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said:
“This has been an extraordinary Asian Games for our trap shooters, and today’s gold is the perfect finish. For Neeru to complete a treble of medals in the space of a few days — individual gold, team silver, and now mixed team gold — is a phenomenal achievement. To do it by beating a strong Qatari pair after starting fourth in qualification shows real character. Huge credit to Kynan as well, who continues to deliver for India across formats and editions of the Games.”
NRAI Secretary General Pawan Kumar Singh added:
“What stood out today was the composure Neeru and Kynan showed after a modest qualification round. To fight back from fourth seed and beat Qatar in the gold-medal match, setting an Asian Games record along the way, speaks to the mental strength we’ve been building into our athletes. This kind of result across individual, team, and mixed team events shows the depth of our trap shooting program is finally translating into medals at the biggest stage.”
The mixed team gold brings another memorable chapter to India’s Asian Games shooting campaign, with Neeru’s historic three-medal haul standing out as one of the defining achievements of the Games.
Images: Asian Games
