Neeru Dhanda scripted history as she became the first Indian women’s trap shooter to win the ISSF Shotgun World Cup gold.
The Haryana shooter held her nerve in a dramatic finish to clinch the yellow metal in Lonato, Italy, on Saturday, July 11, handing India its first medal of the tournament and the country’s first shotgun World Cup gold of the season.
This was Neeru’s maiden individual ISSF World Cup medal. It was also only the second World Cup medal of her career, having previously paired up with Vivaan Kumar to win the mixed trap bronze at the Almaty leg this year. That bronze had been India’s lone ISSF World Cup medal in shotgun events before Neeru delivered the breakthrough performance in Lonato.
Competing in a star-studded field, Neeru, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, showcased her fine form from the outset of the tournament. She topped the qualification round with an impressive score of 121 out of a possible 125 and carried that momentum into the eight-woman medal round.
Neeru stuns Cormenier
In the final, she comfortably booked her place in the top three to ensure a podium finish. However, the battle for gold medal went right down to the wire against France’s former world champion and Olympian Carole Cormenier.
Locked at 25 hits apiece with just two targets remaining, the contest was finely poised. Cormenier faltered at the decisive moment, while Neeru kept her composure and avoided mistakes, sealing a memorable victory in a tense finish.
Italy’s former junior world champion Erica Sessa claimed the bronze medal, while home favorite and Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Silvana Stanco endured a disappointing final, becoming the first shooter to be eliminated from the medal round.
The other Indian in the fray, Manisha Keer, narrowly missed out on the final after finishing 10th in the qualification standings.
Men’s trap and skeet shooters disappointed
The men’s trap competition, meanwhile, proved disappointing for the Indian contingent, with none of the shooters advancing to the final. Asian Games medalist Kynan Chenai finished 71st, while Prithviraj Tondaiman, competing for Ranking Points Only (RPO), emerged as the best-placed Indian in the qualification round in 32nd position.
India’s skeet campaign had also ended without success earlier in the week, as none of the men’s or women’s skeet shooters managed to qualify for their respective finals.
The Lonato competition, the third of four ISSF Shotgun World Cup stops on the 2026 calendar, concludes on Sunday with the mixed trap event, where India will hope to add to its medal tally after Neeru’s landmark victory.
