Asian Games: Double gold medallist Neeru Dhanda named India’s flag-bearer for closing ceremony

Nagoya: Indian shooting star Neeru Dhanda will carry the national flag at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Sunday, capping a memorable campaign in which she emerged as one of the country’s standout performers.

The 27-year-old trap shooter has won three medals at the ongoing Games, including two gold medals and a silver, playing a key role in India’s impressive campaign in shooting.

Neeru’s medal-winning run began with a silver in the women’s trap team event, where she teamed up with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. The Indian trio finished with a combined score of 328 after three days of qualification, behind gold medallists China, while Kuwait claimed bronze.

Neeru then delivered a historic performance in the individual trap event, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold in the discipline. Having topped qualification with 118, she produced a score of 28 in the final to set an Asian record and secure the gold medal.

She followed that performance with another gold in the trap-mixed team event alongside Kynan Chenai. The Indian pair recovered brilliantly after making a difficult start and eventually finished with 34 hits, breaking the previous Asian record of 33 set by Qatar earlier in 2026.

The mixed team triumph completed a memorable two-day run for Neeru, who returned to the range less than 24 hours after her individual gold and once again finished on top.

Her three-medal haul has made her one of India’s leading performers at the Aichi-Nagoya Games and earned her the honour of leading the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony.

The closing ceremony of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will take place on Sunday, October 4, at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. The ceremony is scheduled between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. IST.

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