Neeru Dhanda Wins Historic Indian Women's Trap Gold

Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda has won the gold medal in the women's trap event at the ISSF World Cup in Lonato, Italy, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve the feat at this level of competition. The 26-year-old secured the historic victory on Saturday, July 11, 2026, after a commanding performance in the final.

Dhanda demonstrated exceptional composure throughout the 30-shot final, hitting 27 targets to defeat former world champion Carole Cormenier of France, who finished second with 25 hits. Italy's Erica Sessa took the bronze medal. The win marks Dhanda's first individual World Cup gold and India's first-ever gold medal in the women's trap event at a World Cup.

The victory was built on a flawless start in the qualification rounds on Friday, where Dhanda shot a perfect 75 out of 75 targets to take the outright lead. She maintained her form through the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, finishing with a national record score of 121 out of 125. After the final, Dhanda described the emotional significance of the achievement, stating that watching the national flag on the podium made her realize that competing with the world's best was within reach. She emphasized that...