Neeru Dhanda Fires Gold, Aashima Hits Bronze in Junior Trap Glory

National Games champion Neeru Dhanda delivered a stellar performance to win the women’s junior trap gold medal at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship on Monday, while compatriot Aashima Ahlawat claimed the bronze, reinforcing India’s dominance in the event. The Indian trio of Dhanda, Ahlawat, and Preeti Rajak also secured the team gold, further elevating India’s medal tally at the continental tournament held at the Shymkent Shooting Plaza.

Dhanda, who scored an impressive 43 in the six-woman final, outshot Qatar’s Bassil Ray (37) and Ahlawat (29) to claim the top prize. Both Dhanda and Ahlawat advanced to the final in fifth and sixth positions, respectively, after a tense shoot-off in the qualification round. Dhanda, a cousin of Indian trap shooter Lakshay Sheoran, drew inspiration from him to take up the sport and recently made headlines with a fourth-place finish at her first ISSF World Cup final in Lonato, Italy, in July.

India’s junior shooters continued their remarkable run in the women’s 25m pistol event, with Payal Khatri clinching gold (36 points), Naamya Kapoor securing silver (30 points), and Tejaswani taking bronze (27 points). The trio also earned the team silver with an aggregate score of 1700, finishing behind South Korea but ahead of host nation Kazakhstan. Naamya and Tejaswani topped the qualification round, while Khatri qualified in sixth place.

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In the senior women’s 25m pistol competition, double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth with 25 points, while Esha Singh placed sixth with 18 points. Vietnam’s Thu Vinh Trinh secured the bronze with 29 points, behind China’s Yueyue Zhang and Jiaruixuan Xiao, who won gold and silver, respectively, after a 4-3 shoot-off at 39 points. The Indian trio of Bhaker, Esha, and Simranpreet Kaur Brar earned the team bronze with a score of 1749, trailing China and South Korea. Esha led the qualification round, with Bhaker in fourth after the precision stage.

India’s commanding performance at the championship, which runs from August 16 to 30, underscores the nation’s growing prowess in shooting sports. With a 164-member contingent—the largest at the event—India continues to build on its success from the 2023 Asian Shooting Championship, where it secured 19 medals, and aims to further solidify its position as a powerhouse in the sport.

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