Indian Shooter Neeru Dhanda Wins Historic Gold at ISSF World Cup

"Medals will now come consistently": Shooter Neeru Dhanda after World Cup glory

New Delhi, July 12

The 26-year-old broke the national record with a qualification score of 121/125 before outlasting former World Champion Carole Cormenier of France in a tense final.

Dhanda spoke about the emotional experience of standing on the podium and how this landmark medal changes the outlook for the entire Indian women's trap contingent, according to a press release.

"Watching the national flag go up on the podium was an incredible feeling. It made me realise that the world's best shooters are well within our reach. We did not have a women's trap medal at this level for a very long time, so this gold finally breaks that barrier. I am confident that medals will now come much more consistently for India," Dhanda said.

The young shooter displayed remarkable composure during the high-stakes final, staying focused on her technique despite competing against an experienced field. Dhanda explained that her mindset was centred entirely on execution rather than the reputation of her competitors.

"When you compete alongside a world champion, you have to believe you are a champion too. I blocked out everything else and focused completely on my own routine. It didn't matter to me who was hitting or missing around me. Nothing is impossible when you stay calm, live in the present, and train with absolute focus," she added.

Looking ahead, Dhanda emphasised that this World Cup victory is just the first step in a long competitive cycle. The gold medal serves as a massive confidence booster as the squad shifts its focus toward upcoming major global assignments and Olympic qualification.

"This gold is a great start, but the real work begins now. We have the National Camp coming up, and my focus is completely on the World Championships and securing the Olympic quota. My ultimate goal is to win a gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, and our preparation for that dream starts right here," Dhanda said.

India's foreign coach, Peter Wilson, praised Dhanda's immense progress over the past year. He highlighted her victory at the Asian Championships in Shymkent as the key turning point that gave her the confidence to succeed at the highest international level.

"Neeru has improved tremendously, and winning in Shymkent last year gave her the belief that she belongs on the big stage. She has put in a massive amount of invisible hard work off the range, and this gold is a perfect reward for her perseverance. I want India to dominate the global shotgun circuit, not just participate," Wilson said.

Wilson compared Neeru's breakthrough to Richard Faulds' Olympic Gold for the UK in 2000, noting that a single individual success often paves the way for a generation of athletes to believe in their own potential and raise their performance standards.

"When Richard Faulds won Olympic Gold for the UK in 2000, he broke the mould, and an entire generation of British shooters flourished because they realised they could win too. Neeru has done the exact same thing for India. She has shown the entire squad that global gold is possible, and we want to use this momentum to push our boundaries," Wilson added.

— ANI