Nagoya: Neeru Dhanda underlined her credentials as India's in-form trap shooter by hitting 48 of 50 targets to emerge joint leader in the women's qualification of the Asian Games here on Sunday.
Fresh from her historic ISSF World Cup gold in Lonato, Italy, where she became the first Indian woman to win an individual World Cup title in trap, Neeru looked every bit the confident shooter she has been this season.
She missed just two targets across the opening two rounds, returning scores of 24 and 24 to finish the day tied at the top with Qatar's Bassil Ray.
Her performance also kept India firmly in the hunt for the women's team medal, with the trio of Neeru, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer combining for 130 points to occupy joint second place alongside Qatar and Kuwait. China led the team standings with 136.
Ahlawat shot 20 and 22 for 42, while Keer managed 19 and 21 for 40, leaving India six points off the pace after the opening day.
The trap qualification is spread over three days, with the shooters completing two rounds of 25 targets each on the first two days before a fifth and final round on the third day.
The top three teams at the end of the qualification secure the team medals, while the eight highest-ranked shooters advance to the individual final.
Neeru and her teammates will therefore return on Monday with both team and individual medals firmly within their sights.
For Neeru, the opening-day display was another indication of how far her confidence has risen since her breakthrough triumph in Lonato. She will now look to carry that composure through the remaining three rounds and secure a place in the individual final.
India's women also remained in medal contention in the 25m pistol, though there was plenty of ground to make up after the Precision stage.
Esha Singh, looking to bounce back after a disappointing outing in the 10m air pistol, was sixth with 290 points, while 2018 Jakarta Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat and double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker were tied on 287 in 15th and 16th positions respectively.
The Rapid stage on Monday will decide the team medals, with India currently third on 864 points, behind South Korea (870) and China (868).
The Indian trio will be keen to make amends after missing out on both the individual and team medals in the 10m air pistol competition earlier in the Games.
The men's trap shooters, however, endured a more difficult opening day.
Kynan Chenai was India's best performer with 47/50, leaving him tied 11th, while Shapath Bharadwaj was on 45 in 22nd place. Ahwar Rizvi struggled to 41 and was tied 35th.
Their combined 133 points left India joint seventh in the team standings, meaning the trio have considerable ground to cover over the remaining qualification rounds.
Indian shooters have so far collected 11 medals at the Games -- one gold, six silver and four bronze -- but with the competition entering its decisive phase, the pressure is mounting on the contingent to add to that tally.
India had returned from the previous edition in Hangzhou with seven shooting gold medals.
