Japan: Star Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda will be the flag bearer leading the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya today. He had a stellar performance in the tournament, winning two gold medals and a silver medal.
The Indian Olympic Association has selected 27-year-old Neeru Dhanda as India’s flag bearer for the event. She will hoist the tricolour during the ‘Parade of Nations’ at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya.
Dhanda has had one of India’s most successful campaigns in this continental tournament. She topped the women’s individual competition with a score of 26 and became the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games gold medal in trap shooting.
Earlier, he had set an Asian Games record in the qualification round, in which he missed only two shots out of 30 and scored 28.
After the individual gold medal, Dhanda, along with Ashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer, won a silver medal in the women’s team trap event. She then teamed up with Keyan Chennai to win a gold medal in the mixed team trap event, taking her total to three medals.
The mixed team pair also created an Asian Games record. They scored 34, breaking Qatar’s previous record of 30, and won India’s first gold medal in the mixed team trap shooting event at the Games. Dhanda has returned to India after completing his shooting campaign, but will be flying back to Japan to attend the closing ceremonies.
The closing ceremony will begin at 6 pm local time on Sunday at Paloma Mizuho Stadium, also known as Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. India finished its campaign at the Asian Games in fourth place, winning a total of 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze).
China topped the medal tally with 341 medals (including 169 gold), while hosts Japan came in second with 269 medals (including 83 gold). South Korea came in third with 150 medals (including 39 gold). The Asian Games flag will be formally handed over to Doha, which will host the continental event in 2030, at the closing ceremony.
