Neeru Dhanda, Kynan Chenai win trap golds as India pushes for more shooting ranges

Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai secured two trap shooting gold medals for India at the Asian Games, bringing the nation’s shooting gold count to three, all in Olympic events, out of a total of 15 medals. Dhanda, fresh from a hospital stay, flew to Japan, completed a brief training stint and then won the women’s individual trap title before teaming with Chenai to capture the mixed‑team gold. Chenai missed the individual final but delivered in the mixed event, underscoring his resilience. Last October, Zoravar Singh Sandhu added a bronze at the World Championships, and Dhanda earlier claimed the ISSF World Cup trap crown in July, highlighting a strong season for Indian trap shooters. Coach Peter Wilson, a former London double‑trap champion, praised the squad’s mental toughness and said the recent successes are confidence boosters but not a reason to become complacent. He stressed that the priority is securing a quota spot for the Los Angeles Olympics. Wilson’s training approach treats the shooters as a unit, a method he says even challenged his own limits. Technical tweaks featured prominently: a minor adjustment to Dhanda’s gun after the Lonato World Cup, a barrel swap and other modifications for Chenai, and ongoing work with sports psychologist Tejaswi Karanwal to keep athletes focused on each target. Wilson compared India’s situation with that of Britain, noting that systematic funding and infrastructure helped the UK break a 32‑year medal drought. He urged Indian authorities to expand shooting ranges, pointing to Italy’s dense network and the UK’s recent decline due to space constraints. More facilities, he argues, are essential if India aims to host future Olympics and keep shooting as a medal‑winning sport.

Context

Shooting success often follows sustained investment in venues and coaching. Countries that regularly add new ranges tend to produce more elite shooters, making facility growth a key factor for India’s Olympic ambitions.