Neeru’s coach smashes umbrella in wild celebration after historic trap Gold: Video

Neeru Dhanda’s coach Peter Wilson could not contain his emotions after the Indian shooter made history at the Asian Games on Tuesday. The British coach smashed an umbrella in celebration after Neeru hit her 27th target, putting the women’s trap gold out of doubt, before congratulating her after the event.

Wilson, India’s national trap shooting coach and London 2012 Olympic gold medalist, then wrapped Neeru in the Indian tricolor. The 26-year-old remained remarkably composed after winning the gold, while Wilson’s umbrella celebration came around Neeru’s 28th shot as tension finally gave way to joy.

Wilson knows what it means to stand atop the Olympic podium. He won gold for Great Britain in the double trap at the London 2012 Games and later guided Nathan Hales to Olympic gold in the men’s trap at the Paris 2024 Games.

Now he has taken up the task of helping Indian trap shooting regain its footing. His partnership with Neeru brought a big breakthrough even before the Asian Games when the shooter became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the ISSF Trap World Championships in Lonato, Italy. She also set a new national record during this performance.

“Coach Peter Wilson has joined us recently. He makes very careful plans and makes it easy for us in terms of execution. He is a hard-working coach. I have also been working with my personal coach Mansher Singh, a Commonwealth Games medalist. I am working with him on my technique and mental preparation,” Neeru told Sports Authority of India ahead of the Asian Games.

Wilson also spoke about what he wanted Neeru’s success to mean for the rest of the Indian squad. “I hope Neeru pushes the boundaries for the rest of the team, which they themselves have to push further because they want that glory, they want that success,” Wilson told PTI in July 2026.

NEER’S 48 YEARS OF WAITING END

Neeru became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold in trap at the Asian Games after battling relentless rain and plummeting temperatures in the finals. The 26-year-old from Jindu, Haryana, hit 28 of her 30 targets to finish ahead of China’s Sun Yunong, who scored 26. Kuwait’s Abdulmalik Hajar took the bronze with 21.

The win ended India’s 48-year wait for a second individual gold in either men’s or women’s trap at the Asian Games. Randhir Singh won India’s first trap gold at the 1978 Bangkok Games, while Ronjan Sodhi followed with a men’s double trap gold at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

Neeru’s gold was also India’s first-ever Asian Games individual medal in women’s trap and the country’s first individual shooting gold at the ongoing Games.

earlier in the day Neeru also helped India win silver in the women’s team trap event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. Neeru shot 118, Aashima scored 106 and Manisha managed 104 as India finished with a total of 328. China won the team gold with 346 while Kuwait won the bronze with 325.

The 5’2″ Naib Subedar of the Indian Army entered the final after finishing the qualifying rounds with 118. She scored 95 out of 100 in the first four rounds to take the sole lead on the final day.

The weather then worsened, but Neeru held her nerve in the fifth and final qualifying round. She made 23 to finish on 118, level with Qatar’s Bassil Ray and book a place in the final on eight wickets.

At a rain-soaked range with poor visibility, Neeru had to deal with conditions that made tracking the flying clay targets difficult. She didn’t let the weather affect her rhythm.

As the field thinned after the opening 10 targets, Neeru continued to find her targets while several of her opponents struggled.

She had a two-point lead over Sun Yunong in the final five shots. A brief interruption threatened to disrupt her rhythm as Neeru was booked in a decision that was contested before she was given the advantage.

The Indian shooter returned to the firing line and hit all five targets to finish with 28 and secure the gold.

When the last target broke, celebrations broke out on the range. Wilson was the first to reach Neer and congratulated her before wrapping her in an Indian flag. The coach then let his emotions show, an umbrella broke during the celebrations.

– The end