India’s shooters created history at the Asian Games as Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal combined to win the country’s first-ever mixed skeet team medal — a landmark result for Indian shotgun shooting on the continental stage.

The mixed skeet team event pairs one male and one female shooter, testing consistency and nerve across a shared final. For India, which has built a formidable reputation in pistol and rifle events over the years, a mixed skeet medal has been a long time coming.

A historic first for Indian shooting

India’s shotgun shooters have often come close without quite breaking through at the Asian Games, making this medal a significant milestone. The result reflects years of investment in the discipline — better facilities, deeper talent pipelines and growing exposure to international competition.

Skeet demands extraordinary precision and timing, with shooters tracking clay targets flung at high speed from two towers. In the mixed team format, every miss by either partner counts, which makes the partnership between Naruka and Dhaliwal all the more impressive.

Naruka closes an old gap

For Naruka, the medal carries personal meaning. Having finished just short of the podium in the past, this result closes an old gap in his career — a near-miss finally put right on one of Asia’s biggest stages.

Athletes often speak of how such breakthroughs release years of pressure. Naruka’s journey to this medal has been defined by patience, and the timing could not be better for his confidence heading into future international assignments.

What next for the pair

The medal gives India a genuine medal prospect in mixed skeet for future continental and global events, including the Olympic cycle. With the partnership now proven under pressure, coaches will be keen to keep the combination intact.

For Indian shooting, the broader signal is equally important: the country’s medal chances no longer rest on pistol and rifle alone. The shotgun disciplines are catching up — and this historic mixed skeet medal is the proof.