India break Asian Games record to clinch team shooting gold in men’s Trap

India continued to add to their stellar medal tally in shooting, winning a gold medal in Men’s Trap team event on Sunday morning. The trio of Kynan Darius Chenai, Zoravar Singh Sandhu, and Prithviraj Tondaiman shot gold with a total of 361 points in the event – 2 more than the second-placed Kuwait. The race for the gold medal went down to the wire with India leading by only one point when Chenai took his turn for the final round in team’s event.

To secure the gold medal, Chenai needed a flawless 25/25 performance, and he delivered precisely that in a remarkable demonstration of precision and poise, sealing the gold medal beyond Kuwait’s reach. India’s total score of 361 is also an Asian Games record, as the side went past Kuwait’s 357 from the 1994 event in Hiroshima. In addition to the men’s team clinching gold, Chenai also qualified for the individual final while both, Sandhu and Prithviraj, engaged in a shoot-off for places 2-6.

The women’s Trap team, meanwhile, won a silver medal with with a total of 337. China broke the world record (354 by USA), scoring 356 at the event to clinch the gold medal. Manisha Keer (114) scored the most points for India, followed by Preeti Rajak (112) and Rajeshwari Kumari (111). Manisha also qualified for the final after clearing a five-way shoot-off to determine places 3-6 in the qualification event.

This was India’s last shooting event at the Asian Games, with the contingent still hopeful of more medals as the finals of both men’s and women’s Trap events take place later today. In the 2023 edition, India enjoyed its most successful outing in shooting events in the Asian Games history, winning 21 medals so far. The contingent’s previous-best was 14 at the Doha Games in 2006.

With two more medals added to the tally, India’s overall count went up to three for the day with golfer Aditi Ashok bagging the first medal in women’s event earlier on Sunday. At the Games this year, India have won 41 medals so far, with 11 gold, 16 silver, and 14 bronze. India currently stand at fourth position, behind China, Japan, and South Korea.