Aichi-Nagoya: Star Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda has been named India's women's flag-bearer for Sunday's Asian Games closing ceremony after a stellar campaign in which the ace trap shooter won two gold medals and a team silver, making her one of the country's most successful athletes at the continental event.
The 27-year-old, who returned to India a day after securing her third medal on Thursday, a gold in the trap mixed team event alongside Kynan Chenai, will fly back to Nagoya on Saturday morning to lead the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony.
Neeru's historic Asian Games campaign started taking shape on Tuesday when she became the first Indian woman to secure individual trap shooting gold at the continental showpiece, topping the eight-shooter field with a score of 26.
She also set an Asian record on her Games debut in qualification, missing just two shots out of 30 to finish with 28. The shooter was also a top performer in her women's team trap silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer, scoring 118 out of 125.
The next day came a landmark mixed trap team gold with Kynan Chenai, where the duo breached the Asian Games record of 30 held by Qatar to score 34 and get India's first-ever mixed team trap shooting event gold. Now with three medals, including two standout golds, Neeru has arrived in Delhi as one of the brightest Indian stars.
Neeru had earlier set the Asian stage on fire in the Asian Shooting Championships during August last year, getting golds in individual and team events. She is also an ISSF World Cup gold medalist, having won an individual gold in Italy back in July.
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Speaking on her dominant performance, Neeru said, "I do not have words to express it. The feelings are on a very high level. Winning gold for the country is a matter of great pride for me, my family, the federation, SAI, and the Bhopal Shooting Academy. Everyone has contributed, including OGQ (Olympic Gold Quest)," she told ANI.
