Naib Subedar Neeru Dhanda, an Indian shotgun shooter, made history at the ISSF World Cup in Lonato, Italy, by becoming the first Indian woman trap shooter to win a gold medal at the competition.
In a tense final, the 26-year-old defeated Carole Cormenier of France, a former World Champion, after shattering the national record with a qualifying score of 121/125.
After her momentous triumph, Dhanda and India’s Foreign Shotgun Coach, Peter Wilson, offered their opinions on the performance.
Dhanda discussed the emotional experience of standing on the podium and how this historic award alters the perspective for the entire Indian women’s trap team.
It was an unbelievable experience to see the national flag raised on the podium. I saw that the top shooters in the world are quite accessible to us as a result. This gold finally breaks that barrier since we hadn’t had a women’s trap medal at this level in a very long time. I have no doubt that India will now receive medals at a far higher rate.
Even when facing seasoned opponents, the young shooter maintained amazing composure during the high-stakes final, concentrating on her technique. Dhanda made it clear that she was completely focused on execution rather than her rivals’ standing.
In order to compete alongside a global champion, you must also consider yourself to be one. I concentrated entirely on my personal routine, blocking out everything else. I didn’t care who was hitting or missing around me. When you remain tranquil, live in the now, and exercise with total attention, nothing is impossible.
Dhanda stressed that this World Cup victory is only the beginning of a long competitive cycle. As the team shifts its attention to the next big global assignments and Olympic qualification, the gold medal gives them a huge boost of confidence.
Now that we have this gold, the hard work really starts. I’m totally concentrating on the World Championships and securing the Olympic quota since the National Camp is approaching. Our preparations for the Los Angeles Olympics begin here, with the ultimate goal of earning a gold medal.
Dhanda’s rapid improvement over the previous year was lauded by Peter Wilson, India’s foreign coach. According to him, the crucial turning point that gave her the confidence to win at the highest international level was her victory at the Asian Championships in Shymkent.
Winning in Shymkent last year gave Neeru the confidence that she belongs on the main stage, and she has come a long way. She has been working incredibly hard behind the scenes, and this gold is a fitting reward for her endurance. I want India to lead the global shotgun circuit, not merely take part in it.
Wilson likened Neeru’s achievement to monumental moments in British athletic history, observing that one person’s success frequently inspires a generation of sportspeople to have faith in their abilities and elevate their performance.
Richard Faulds shattered the mold when he won Olympic Gold for the UK in 2000, and an entire generation of British shooters thrived as a result of their realization that they, too, could triumph.
For India, Neeru has done the same thing. We want to use this momentum to push our boundaries because she has demonstrated to the entire team that global gold is achievable.