Naruka and Dhaliwal Win Historic Asian Games Skeet Bronze

Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal won India’s first Asian Games medal in the skeet mixed team event, recovering from a shaky opening round to take bronze in Nagoya on Thursday.

The pair began qualification with 44 out of 50, leaving them under pressure early in the competition. But Naruka and Dhaliwal responded with identical scores of 47 in each of the next two rounds, reaching 138 overall and securing their place in the four-team final. Their bronze added a landmark result for Indian skeet at the Games.

Naruka said the crucial response came from the pair’s decision to continue backing one another after the difficult start. “We had a difficult start. Both of us didn’t shoot well in the first round and then we just told each other that we can still get it. We have two more rounds to go and we will fight till the last target,” he said.

Fightback delivers a first skeet mixed team medal

The qualification recovery set the tone for the rest of the day. After the opening 44, the Indian pair steadied themselves with 47 targets in the second round and repeated that total in the third. The combined 138 was enough to move into the four-team final, where they went on to seal bronze.

Dhaliwal said their focus was not on calculating the outcome before the final stages of qualification. Instead, they concentrated on giving everything through the last target. “It was just about fighting till the very end. We were like, ‘Let’s just give it our all and then we’ll see what happens after the third round,’ and that’s what we did,” she said.

For Naruka, the support shared by the two shooters was central to the mixed team format. “We were supportive and just kept telling each other that we have to fight. That’s what a mixed team is, you know, that’s how it’s supposed to be,” he said.

Dhaliwal also highlighted the role of the coaches and support staff in keeping the group positive while the medal remained uncertain. She said the environment stayed happy and confident rather than allowing pressure to take over. Coach Filippelli Riccardo’s message, according to Dhaliwal, was simple: “Just go on, just go on.”

There was similarly little discussion during the 30-second timeout in the final. Dhaliwal said the pair focused on maintaining their usual rhythm, describing both shooters as aggressive and rhythmic. “Nothing, just go on, just keep going. Just keep your rhythm,” she said.

Three skeet medals provide an Indian boost

The mixed team bronze completed a productive two days for Indian skeet, which collected three medals at the Games. It also gave both Naruka and Dhaliwal two medals each. Naruka had earlier been part of India’s men’s team bronze, while Dhaliwal had helped the women’s team reach the podium.

Naruka, who previously won individual silver and team bronze at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, said standing on the podium in Nagoya carried special meaning. He contrasted the result with his fourth-place Olympic finish, saying: “Today we fought, we fought well and we got the bronze.”

He added that the increased medal count could offer encouragement to younger skeet shooters in India. “Last time I remember we got two medals in skeet, this time we have three, so we are very happy,” Naruka said.

Dhaliwal said the result was especially meaningful after choosing shooting over studying abroad following her graduation from Mayo College. “I do this because I absolutely love doing this. I am passionate about the sport, it’s my hobby, I absolutely enjoy doing this,” she said.

Naruka will next head to the World Championships in Doha, where he will have an opportunity to pursue an Olympic quota place for India. For now, the pair’s bronze stands as a historic Asian Games breakthrough in the skeet mixed team event.