Asian Games 2026: Gulveer Completes Medal Hat-Trick, Neeru Wins Historic Trap Gold

Gulveer Singh completed a hat-trick of medals and Neeru Dhanda won a landmark shooting gold as India added four podium finishes at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Tuesday.

Gulveer’s bronze in the men’s 5000m followed silvers in the 1500m and 10,000m. Neeru became the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games medal in trap, taking gold after helping the women’s team secure silver.

Boxer Narender Berwal added bronze in the men’s +90kg category, while Ankush Panghal and Parveen Hooda advanced to gold-medal bouts.

Gulveer Adds Bronze to Two Silvers

Gulveer clocked 13:32.75 to finish third in a closely contested 5000m final.

Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew won gold in 13:30.79, with Japan’s Tomonori Yamaguchi taking silver in 13:31.43. Gulveer finished less than two seconds behind the winner to collect his third individual medal of the Games.

His podium finishes across three distances made him one of India’s standout athletics performers in Aichi-Nagoya.

Avinash Sable, who had initially been entered for the 5000m, did not compete.

Neeru Shoots Her Way to a First

Neeru scored 28 out of 30 in the women’s individual trap final to claim India’s second shooting gold of the Games.

China’s Sun Yunong finished second with 26 out of 30, while the UAE’s Hajar Abdulmalik took bronze with 21 out of 25.

The victory followed a team silver for Neeru, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. The Indian trio totalled 328 points, behind China’s 346 and three points ahead of bronze medallists Kuwait.

Neeru therefore finished the day with two medals, including a gold that established a new milestone for Indian women’s trap shooting.

Ankush Fights Back, Parveen Wins Unanimously

Ankush Panghal recovered from losing the opening round to defeat Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev 4-1 in the men’s 80kg semifinal.

According to ESPN, Ankush found openings with his right hand and body punches but lost the first round 1-4 on the judges’ cards. He took the second 3-2 before delivering a decisive final round, which all five judges awarded to him.

He will face South Korea’s Kim Min-Seong for gold. Kim beat Jordan’s Hussein Iashaish in the other semifinal.

Parveen Hooda also reached a final, defeating China’s Li Shu by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the women’s 65kg category. She will meet Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin for the title.

Narender’s campaign ended with bronze after a 0-5 semifinal defeat to Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Aibek Oralbay. It was his second consecutive Asian Games bronze.

Meena Sets National Record Despite Missing Podium

India’s athletics campaign also produced a national record through Dev Kumar Meena, who cleared 5.50m in the men’s pole vault final, held on Monday, to finish seventh.

The 22-year-old improved his previous best of 5.46m. After passing at 5.05m, he cleared 5.20m on his second attempt and 5.35m on his first, before crossing 5.50m on his second attempt.

Three unsuccessful attempts at 5.60m ended his challenge.

Fellow Indian Kuldeep Kumar finished 10th with a clearance of 5.35m. In the women’s 800m final, Pooja placed seventh in 2:06.72.

Dhiraj Bommadevara and Neeraj Chauhan advanced to the men’s individual recurve quarterfinals.

Dhiraj defeated Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Hsiang-Hui 6-2, while Neeraj overcame South Korea’s Kim Je-deok 6-4. Their quarterfinal matches are scheduled for October 3.

With inputs from ANI