Asian Games 2026: Shooter Neeru Dhanda’s top trap trip

popcorn number10kg descAmount of laddoos coach Mansher Singh distributed post Dhandarsquos win classDefaultShooter Neeru Dhanda 26 became the first Indian woman to win an individual shotgun gold at the Asian Games when she clinched the womenrsquos trap title in AichiNagoya on TuesdayShe also won the silver medal alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer in the team trap eventInterestingly long before she battled difficult rainy conditions at the range in Japan Neeru Dhanda had overcome a much tougher health scare when she was hospitalised in South Delhi a week earlier with Influenza BIndiarsquos Neeru Dhanda with her gold medal in Nagoya on Tuesday PicsPTIldquoHer ailment was at a highly infectious stage We got all the blood tests done in the hospital and she was advised a few days of bed rest This demoralised her as she had prepared hard for these Games But I had faith in her ability to recover in time and told her to focus on her diet nutrition and medication so that she could get out of the hospital at the earliest And thatrsquos exactly what happenedrdquo Dhandarsquos personal coach and former Olympian Mansher Singh told midday from New Delhi on TuesdayVery little preparationDhanda missed the preparatory camp back home and also the initial training sessions in Japan due to her illness She arrived in Japan only on September 23 while the rest of the contingent had reached a few days earlierldquoShe had a high viral fever and had to be in hospital for three days September 18 to 21 As soon as the doctor said she could be discharged on September 22 we started planning her departure for Japan the following night She hardly got a couple of days of training in Japan but as things stand it was more than enoughIndia womenrsquos trap shooting team of Manisha Keer left Ashima Ahlawat centre and Neeru Dhanda are all smiles after winning silverldquoThe most important thing was that she recovered not only physically but also mentally to be able to come up with such a performance Viral fever can make you very weak but the motivation to be a part of these Games helped her push aheadrdquo added Mansher a multipletime Asian Games medallistClearly the rain during the final was not as tough as the medical scare as Mansher emphasisedldquoRain was not a problem We had prepared for it The rain was for everyone so it canrsquot be an excuse Trap shooting is an outdoor discipline so these factors have to be accepted We shooters have the mindset to perform in any weather condition and thatrsquos exactly what Neeru didrdquo he saidMoments after winning gold Dhanda dialled Mansher ldquoWe spoke for an hour She asked me how happy I was I was training some of my shooters at the range here in Delhi where we distributed laddoos to celebrate the medal I told Neeru lsquoCongratulations I have distributed 10kg of laddoos for your golden performancerdquoLA 2028 is the next targetldquoShe said shersquod celebrate with dinner but I also told her to focus on tomorrowrsquos mixed event and win another medal for our country The level at the Asian Games is so high that if you win here it gives you confidence to do well at the Olympics too So LA 2028 is our next targetrdquo concluded Mansher