Neeru Dhanda Secures First Gold at ISSF World Cup in Italy

Historic Win for Neeru Dhanda

Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda achieved a significant milestone by winning her first gold medal at the ISSF World Cup, held in Lonato, Italy, on Saturday. She showcased remarkable skill in the women's trap event, finishing with 27 hits out of 30 targets in the final round, marking a career-defining victory, as reported by Olympics.com.

Journey to the Top

This victory also signifies India's inaugural individual shotgun medal of the ISSF World Cup season and only the second medal in shotgun events for the country this year. Neeru entered the medal round in excellent form, leading the qualification with 121 points out of 125. She maintained her strong performance in the final, engaging in a thrilling contest for gold against former world champion Carole Cormenier from France.

The competition culminated in a nail-biting finish, with both competitors tied at 25 hits. While Cormenier succumbed to the pressure, Neeru remained focused, ultimately finishing with 27 hits to clinch the gold. Erica Sessa from Italy, a former junior world champion, took home the bronze medal. Silvana Stanco, the silver medallist from the Paris 2024 Olympics, faced an unexpected early exit, being the first to be eliminated despite being a favorite.

Neeru's Second World Cup Medal

This gold medal marks Neeru's first individual medal at the ISSF World Cup and her second overall, following her mixed trap bronze medal win alongside Vivaan Kumar earlier this year in Almaty.

Mixed Outcomes for Indian Team

In the women's trap qualifiers, India had another participant, Manisha Keer, who narrowly missed the final, finishing in 10th place. The men's trap event was less successful, with no Indian shooters advancing to the medal rounds. Asian Games medallist Kynan Chenai placed 71st, while Prithviraj Tondaiman, competing for Ranking Points Only (RPO), was the highest-placed Indian at 32nd in qualification.

Earlier in the tournament, none of India's skeet shooters qualified for their respective finals.

Upcoming Events

The Lonato meet, which is the third of four ISSF Shotgun World Cups this season, will conclude on Sunday with the mixed trap event.