A determined Neeru Dhanda became the first Indian woman to claim an individual trap shooting gold at the Asian Games, battling relentless rain and plunging temperatures to smash the continental record against a formidable field after guiding the country to a team silver in Nagoya on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old from Haryana's Jind ended a 48-year wait for the nation's second men's or women's individual trap gold at the continental showpiece after combining with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer for the team silver in the same event earlier in the day.

The 5'2" Naib Subedar in the Indian Army produced a stunning display of composure and precision, shooting 28 out of 30 targets in the women's trap final to finish ahead of China's Sun Yunong (26) and Kuwait's Abdulmalik Hajar (21).

Neeru could add more to her tally when she teams up with Kynan Chenai in the trap mixed team competition on Wednesday.

On a rain-soaked range where visibility was poor, making it extremely difficult to track the flying clay targets, Neeru refused to buckle, delivering when it mattered most to script a landmark moment for Indian shooting.

Her gold is significant for more than one reason.

It is the first-ever Asian Games individual medal in women's trap for India and also the country's first individual shooting gold at the ongoing Games.

Indian rifle and pistol shooters endured a difficult campaign, with the 10m air pistol mixed team gold won by Suruchi Inder Singh and Kamaljeet being the best show before Neeru's breakthrough.

India's first Asian Games trap gold came through Randhir Singh in the men's event at Bangkok in 1978. It took another 32 years for the country to win gold in the discipline, with double-trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi achieving the feat at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

Neeru has now added another chapter to that legacy, while opening an entirely new one for Indian women in shotgun shooting.

Source: m.rediff