Indian skeet shooter Parinaaz Dhaliwal discusses her Asian Games campaign, where she won a historic team bronze, missed an individual medal, and then secured a second bronze in the mixed team event, finishing her campaign on a high.
For Indian skeet shooter Parinaaz Dhaliwal, the Asian Games 2026 brought a campaign of contrasting emotions, a historic team medal, the disappointment of missing out on an individual podium, and then a second bronze that gave her a chance to finish the Games on a high.
Dhaliwal’s campaign began with history as she helped India secure its first-ever Asian Games medal in the women’s skeet team event alongside Raiza Dhillon and Maheshwari Chauhan. The Indian trio finished third with a combined score of 331, with Dhaliwal and Dhillon contributing 111 points each out of 125, while Chauhan added 109.
The team bronze was followed by a more difficult moment in the individual event. Dhaliwal, who had qualified for the women’s individual skeet final with 111 hits out of 125 in the qualification round, finished eighth in the final with eight hits before being eliminated, missing out on an individual medal.
From Disappointment to a Second Bronze
But rather than allowing the disappointment to linger, Dhaliwal said she used the experience to identify the mistakes she had made before returning to the range for the mixed team event with Anantjeet Singh Naruka.
Speaking to ANI after her return to India from the Games campaign, she said, “I missed out on an individual medal in my final, and I just knew, before my mixed team, what the mistakes I made in my individual final were, and I just hope I don’t repeat the same thing. I made sure that I fought till the very end along with my teammate Anant, and we did our best. We gave our best even though our score was the same as the silver medalists, but according to the rules, we had to settle for a bronze, and nevertheless we were just happy and blessed.”
Dhaliwal and Naruka finished with 44 hits across six series in the mixed team final to secure bronze. China won gold with a world-record score of 52, while South Korea took silver with 51. India and South Korea were level on 44 after six series, with the Indian pair securing bronze on the tie-break based on qualification ranking.
For Dhaliwal, the second medal transformed what could have been remembered primarily as an individual disappointment into a two-medal Asian Games campaign.
Reflecting on the women’s team bronze she won with Dhillon and Chauhan, Dhaliwal credited the medal to the collective effort of the trio. “It was a combined team effort to get this bronze back home, and everybody did their best. We gave our best, we gave whatever we had, and we’re just happy that we could bring back a medal and add to the Indian contingent,” she said.
A Grand Welcome Home
The two bronze medals also gave Dhaliwal a memorable welcome home. Arriving at Delhi airport on Friday, she said the reception was something she had never experienced before. “I think I just feel overwhelmed. I’ve never experienced such a grand welcome. And yes, I’m back home with two medals. I feel really blessed, and I’m grateful to each one of them in my team who’s helped me reach here,” she said.
Message for Aspirants and Future Plans
Looking beyond her own campaign, Dhaliwal had a message for young girls who aspire to compete at the highest level, urging them to stay committed through difficult conditions and give their best regardless of the circumstances. “If you dream of winning an Olympic gold, you have to fight yourself, and you have to give your best through all the tough conditions, no matter what. At times, yes, my dad will be like, ‘oh baby, it’s fine, it’s raining heavily, just have a day off, relax at home. And I’m just like, yeah, I would love to do that but I don’t think so I can afford to do that.’ So you just have to give your all, no matter what, irrespective of the weather or anything,” she said.
Now back home with two Asian Games medals, Dhaliwal plans to take some time to unwind and spend time with her family before turning her attention to the next challenge. She will soon begin preparations for the ISSF World Championship in Doha, Qatar, scheduled from November 1 to 14, where the Olympic quota places for the Los Angeles 2028 Games will be at stake. “I think I’m gonna go for some massages, eat some good food and just relax a bit, spend some time with my family. I’ve already had a week off in Tokyo. I did loads and loads of shopping. And now I’m gonna, yeah, just spend some time with my family and then start preparing for the World Championship,” she said.
A Proud Family Moment
The significance of the achievement was felt deeply by her family, who had watched Dhaliwal’s journey and the years of work that went into reaching the Asian Games podium. Her mother, Rajan Dhaliwal, said the medals were a proud moment for the entire family. “It is such a proud moment for our family; the child’s hard work has paid off. And we are always proud of her as a girl child, but she has made the whole family proud,” she said.
Her father, Rattandeep Dhaliwal, recalled the years of dedication behind the achievement and the physical toll of training in difficult conditions. “It feels very good. I can’t even express how happy I am for Parinaaz. It had been so long since we saw her working hard, and now, after ten years, she has finally achieved it. I am really proud of her. She has to work very, very hard, a lot. I used to get blisters on my hands when she used to go shooting at 3 in the afternoon in such heat. Parinaaz had a lot of dedication. I am telling you, I am very happy,” he said.
From helping India make history in the women’s skeet team event to enduring the disappointment of an eighth-place individual finish, and then returning to the podium with Naruka, Dhaliwal’s Aichi-Nagoya campaign ultimately ended with two bronze medals. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)