Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai Win Trap Mixed Team Gold After Stunning Comeback

India's trap-mixed team pair of Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai turned a shaky opening into a gold-medal performance, producing an extraordinary run of clean shooting to win the trap-mixed team title at the Asian Games 2026.

The Indian pair finished with 34 hits, securing gold ahead of Qatar, while China took bronze. The result also saw India break the Asian record of 33 set by Qatar in Doha earlier in 2026. For Neeru, the victory was particularly significant. Just a day after winning the individual trap gold, she returned to the range and delivered another title his time alongside Kynan Chenai.

But the route to the top of the podium was anything but comfortable.

After the opening series, India were not leading the competition. The first 10 shots left Qatar at the top with seven points, while China, Iran and India were all on six.

For Neeru and Kynan, it meant there was little room for error. The response was immediate. The Indian pair produced a perfect second series, hitting all five targets each. That took their total to 16 and moved them level with Qatar at the top. More importantly, Iran dropped out of medal contention, guaranteeing India a place on the podium.

The competition was beginning to change shape, but India still had work to do.

The final was interrupted by a technical issue involving the trap machinery, forcing the shooters to return to their seats temporarily. The pause came at an awkward moment, with the top three teams still closely packed. When shooting resumed, Kynan Chenai was the first Indian to return to action. The interruption did not affect India's rhythm. Another outstanding sequence from Kynan and Neeru moved India into outright control. By the end of the third stage, India had registered 26 hits out of 30, two ahead of Qatar on 24.

China were on 23 and were eliminated in third position, while Iran had already been eliminated. India was now guaranteed at least silver.

But the gold was there for the taking.

The most striking aspect of India's victory was the turnaround from the opening series. India had managed only six hits from their first 10 shots. From that point onwards, however, the pair did not miss a single target before the gold was secured. That level of consistency became the foundation of their comeback. The shooting format left very little room for recovery once mistakes accumulated, making India's clean run particularly important as the final progressed.

Qatar remained close, but India had established the advantage by the decisive stages. The Indian pair eventually finished on 34, one point clear of Qatar.

China took bronze. The final score also meant India surpassed the Asian record of 33 set by Qatar in Doha in 2026.

Two Golds in Two Days for Neeru

The result completed a remarkable two-day run for Neeru Dhanda. After winning individual trap gold, she returned to competition alongside Kynan and once again found herself at the top of the podium. The mixed-team victory required a different kind of performance. In the individual event, Neeru's result depended solely on her own shooting. In the mixed team, every sequence had to be matched by her partner, with the pair's combined consistency determining their position.

Kynan provided exactly that. Together, they recovered from their slow start, remained composed during the technical interruption and then produced the clean shooting required to stay ahead of Qatar.

The mixed-team title adds another significant chapter to India's shooting campaign at the Asian Games. For Neeru, it is her second gold medal in two days. For Kynan, it is a major Asian Games title secured in a final where the Indian pair had to recover from being among the lowest-ranked teams after the opening series. And for Indian trap shooting, the performance delivered a new continental benchmark.

India's final tally of 34 hits surpassed the previous Asian record of 33. The most revealing statistic, however, came from the sequence between the first series and the end of the final.

India began with six hits from 10. They did not miss again. That was the difference. Qatar remained within striking distance, but India's consistency under the pressure of a medal-deciding final ultimately separated the teams. Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai had turned an uncertain start into a gold-medal finish, winning India's first-ever Asian Games gold in the trap mixed team event.

Two shooters. One extraordinary recovery.

34 hits, an Asian record, and another gold for India.