Neeru Dhanda’s coach Peter Wilson could not contain his emotions after the Indian shooter made history at the Asian Games on Tuesday. The British coach broke an umbrella in celebration after Neeru hit her 27th target, which put the women’s trap gold beyond doubt, before going on to congratulate her after the event.
Wilson, India’s national trap shooting coach and a 2012 London Olympics gold medallist, then wrapped Neeru in the Indian tricolour. The 26-year-old remained remarkably composed after winning the gold, while Wilson’s umbrella-breaking celebration came around Neeru’s 28th shot as the tension finally gave way to joy.
Wilson knows what it takes to stand on top of an Olympic podium. He won double trap gold for Great Britain at the 2012 London Games and later guided Nathan Hales to Olympic gold in men’s trap at the Paris 2024 Games.
He has now taken up the task of helping Indian trap shooting regain its place. His partnership with Neeru had already produced a major breakthrough before the Asian Games, with the shooter becoming the first Indian woman to win an ISSF World Cup gold medal in trap at Lonato, Italy. She also set a new national record during that performance.
“Coach Peter Wilson has joined us recently. He makes very meticulous plans and makes it so easy for us when it comes to execution. He is a hard-working coach. I have also been working with my personal coach, Mansher Singh, a Commonwealth Games medallist. I work with him on my technique and mental preparedness,” Neeru had told the Sports Authority of India before the Asian Games.
Wilson had also spoken about what he wanted Neeru’s success to mean for the rest of the Indian squad. “What I hope is that Neeru pushes the boundaries for the rest of the squad, that they themselves must continue to push, because they want that glory, they want that success,” Wilson had told PTI in July 2026.
NEERU ENDS 48-YEAR WAIT
Neeru became the first Indian woman to win an individual trap gold at the Asian Games after battling relentless rain and plunging temperatures in the final. The 26-year-old from Jind, Haryana, hit 28 of her 30 targets to finish ahead of China’s Sun Yunong, who scored 26. Kuwait’s Abdulmalik Hajar took bronze with 21.
The victory ended a 48-year wait for India’s second individual men’s or women’s trap gold at the Asian Games. Randhir Singh won India’s first trap gold at the 1978 Bangkok Games, while Ronjan Sodhi followed with a men’s double trap gold at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
Neeru’s gold was also India’s first-ever individual Asian Games medal in women’s trap and the country’s first individual shooting gold at the ongoing Games.
Earlier in the day, Neeru had also helped India win silver in the women’s trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. Neeru shot 118, Aashima scored 106 and Manisha managed 104 as India finished with an aggregate of 328. China won the team gold with 346, while Kuwait took bronze with 325.
The 5’2″ Naib Subedar in the Indian Army had entered the final after finishing the qualification rounds with 118. She shot 95 out of 100 in the first four rounds to take the sole lead into the final day.
The weather then worsened, but Neeru held her nerve in the fifth and final qualification round. She shot 23 to finish on 118, level with Qatar’s Bassil Ray, and booked her place in the eight-shooter final.
On a rain-soaked range with poor visibility, Neeru had to deal with conditions that made it difficult to track the flying clay targets. She did not allow the weather to affect her rhythm.
As the field began to thin after the opening 10 targets, Neeru continued to find her targets while several of her rivals struggled.
Heading into the final five shots, she held a two-point advantage over Sun Yunong. A brief interruption threatened to disturb her rhythm when Neeru was shown a yellow card in a decision that was contested before she was given the benefit.
The Indian shooter returned to the firing line and hit all five targets to finish with 28 and secure the gold.
As the final target shattered, celebrations broke out around the range. Wilson was the first to reach Neeru, congratulating her before wrapping her in the Indian flag. The coach then let his emotions show, with the umbrella breaking during the celebrations.
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