Khurja, UTTAR PRADESH :

Veteran shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan said India’s three skeet bronze medals at the Asian Games 2026 are a big boost for the LA Olympics, but felt the men’s team could have won gold.

Indian shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan said India’s three skeet medals at the Asian Games 2026 are a good step towards the Los Angeles Olympics, but the team could have done better. India won bronze in all three skeet team events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. It was a historic first for Indian skeet.

Historic bronze for the men’s team

Mairaj Ahmad Khan won his first Asian Games medal, a bronze, as part of the men’s skeet team with Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Bhavtegh Singh Gill. The team defeated Kazakhstan in a shoot-off with a score of 346 points. Mairaj returned to the Games in 2026 after competing in 2006, 2010 and 2014.

He has won three World Cup gold medals in New Delhi (2021), Changwon (2022) and Cairo (2023), along with a silver in Rio (2016) and a bronze in Cairo (2021). At the Asian Championships, he has one gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Speaking about the bronze, Mairaj told TimesofIndia.com from Japan, “Aur achha ho sakta tha. We could have won a gold medal. The stage was set, but no problem, next time.” He also spoke about his individual event. He said he felt tired. “In the individual event, hunger was not there. I think I was a little tired. I was relaxed, mentally tired, overworked. Maybe the calendar is so busy,” he said.

Women’s and mixed teams also won bronze

India’s women’s skeet team, comprising Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Maheshwari Chauhan, won a bronze medal, marking the country’s first-ever Asian Games medal in this category. Additionally, Anantjeet and Parinaaz secured another bronze in the mixed team event, achieving medals in all three skeet team events within two days. 

Focus on LA Olympics

Mairaj said he is proud of Anantjeet and Parinaaz. “I am really proud of the way Anant and Parinaaz have performed. We are building a team together for the LA Olympics,” he said. Mairaj said his journey is not over. “I will not stop. Ever since I picked up the gun, I have felt that I could have done better. I have made some mistakes. The fight is on for the LA Olympics. Gold was the dream and it will remain the dream,” he said.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Latest News>Sports / by Anishka Pandey / September 24th, 2026