Shikhar Dhawan, Kedar Jadhav hail Neeru Dhanda after historic ISSF World Cup gold
New Delhi, July 13
Former India cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Kedar Jadhav congratulated trap shooter Neeru Dhanda after she scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an ISSF World Cup gold medal in the Trap event, following her triumph at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Lonato, Italy.
Neeru produced a composed display in the women's Trap final on Saturday, hitting 27 of her 30 targets at Trap Concaverde in Lonato to clinch her maiden ISSF World Cup title. The victory also marked the biggest international success of her career and strengthened India's growing reputation in international shotgun shooting.
Joining in the celebrations, Dhawan applauded Neeru's achievement with a message highlighting the rewards of perseverance.
"Jab mehnat nishane par lage, toh medal bhi sona hi hota hai (When hard work hits the target, the medal can only be gold). Bahut bahut badhai (Many congratulations) Neeru Dhanda on winning the World Cup trap gold. Proud moment for Indian sport," Dhawan wrote on X.
Former India all-rounder Kedar Jadhav also praised the shooter for creating history, describing the feat as a landmark moment for Indian sport.
"Proud moment for Indian Sports! Huge congratulations to Neeru Dhanda on creating history by clinching the GOLD medal in the Shotgun Trap event at the #ISSFWorldCup2026! To become the first Indian woman to win an ISSF World Cup Gold is an extraordinary milestone. You have made the entire nation incredibly proud. Keep shining and firing, Neeru! Wishing you many more victories ahead," Jadhav wrote on X.
Neeru remained composed throughout the medal round, delivering a consistent performance under pressure to finish atop the field with 27 hits from 30 targets. The triumph earned her a maiden ISSF World Cup gold and added another milestone to India's growing list of achievements on the international shooting circuit.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's wonderful to see the support from cricketers like Dhawan and Jadhav. But honestly, how often do we truly celebrate shooters like we do cricketers? The media coverage is still so crick-centric. Neeru's achievement deserves more headlines and fanfare. She's literally breaking glass ceilings in a traditionally male-dominated sport. More power to her! 🙌
What a moment for Indian sports! And what a perfect message from Shikhar - "Jab mehnat nishane par lage, toh medal bhi sona hi hota hai" - that line hits different when you see someone like Neeru achieve this. She must have worked day and night, faced so many challenges as a female shooter. Respect from the bottom of my heart. This is how champions are made! 🏆
Honestly, I'm so moved reading this. When our women shooters win on the world stage, it's not just a medal - it's a statement that Indian women can excel in any field, including precision sports. Neeru's calmness under pressure is inspirational. The government and sports federations need to provide more grassroots support for shooting. Imagine how many more Neerus are waiting for a chance! 💪
Just another day of Indian shooters making us proud! 🎯 Neeru Dhanda is now a World Cup gold medalist - that's an incredible achievement. Our shooting contingent is becoming truly world-class. And I love how our cricketers take time to acknowledge these moments - it creates a culture of sportsmanship beyond just cricket. Really happy to see this unity in Indian sports. 🇮🇳
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