Neeru makes women’s trap final, finishes seventh

ISSF World Cup Shotgun Almaty, May 02-11, 2026

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: Asian and National champion Neeru Dhanda, made the final of the women’s trap competition at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Shotgun in Almaty, Kazakhstan, finishing seventh with seven hits after the first elimination stage of 10-shots. The Indian despite shooting all five targets in the second five-shot series, could not recover from three misses in the first, in a final where all three podiums went to Olympic medalists. Australian Penny Smith, the Paris Olympics bronze medalist, won gold with a world record 30 out of 30 hits, while Spain’s Tokyo Olympics Mixed Team champion Fatima Galvez won silver with 25. Women’s trap legend Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova of Slovakia, a three-time Olympic medalist and former world and Olympic champion, won bronze.

Earlier Neeru had surged up the world-class field firing rounds of 23 and 25 to finish with a career-best qualification score in ISSF competitions. Her 116 (23,23,22,23,25) and a perfect final round helped her clinch the eighth and final qualification spot, after beginning the day in 21st position. It would be her second World Cup final in two years after finishing fourth in Lonato last year.

Teammates Manisha Keer and Pragati Dubey shot scores of 112 (24,24,21,21,22) and 111 (18,23,24,24,22) to finish 26th and 29th respectively.

In the men’s trap, Shapath Bhradwaj with 118 (25,25,21,22,25) was the best placed Indian at 16th while Ahvar Rizvi’s 115 (23,22,23,24,23) gave him 39th spot in the rankings. Vivaan Kapoor with a 114 (22,25,23,23,21), was further back in 55th position.