India Wins Double Silver in Shooting at Asian Games 2026
Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan captured two silver medals on the opening day of shooting at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. The team medal marked a strong start to India's campaign, followed by a heartbreakingly close individual final.
Elavenil Valarivan gave India the perfect start to its Asian Games shooting campaign, bringing home two silver medals in the women's 10m air rifle competition in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The 27-year-old shooter first helped India secure a team silver alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and debutant Vidarsa Vinod. The trio combined for 1898.0 points, finishing just behind China's world record performance but holding off Japan by a razor-thin 0.9 points.
Hours later, Elavenil stepped onto the range again for the individual final. She dominated much of the competition, leading after 17 shots and still ahead after the 21st.
But as the pressure mounted in the final moments, Japan's Hinata Taichi found another gear. With just one shot remaining, Elavenil needed something special but managed 10.1 while Taichi held her nerve with a 10.2 to clinch gold.
The final margin? Just 0.6 points separated Elavenil's silver (252.4) from Taichi's Asian Games record gold (253.0).
"I think I knew that somewhere I was in the top three and although I was coming back to focusing on my process and my technique, I did get a bit relaxed," Elavenil admitted after the final. She acknowledged needing more work on her finals, though she gave her absolute best.
The individual silver marked Elavenil's first Asian Games medal after competing in 2018 and 2022 without reaching the podium. She beat reigning world champion and Paris Olympics gold medalist Ban Hyo-jin, who took bronze.
Why This Inspires
Vidarsa Vinod's story added extra shine to India's opening day. The Kerala shooter made her Asian Games debut in an event she'd only taken up two months earlier, yet her 630.4 score proved crucial in securing the team silver.
"I was not nervous. I was confident and just focused on my shooting," said Vinod, who competed in 10m air rifle despite her main event being the 50m rifle 3-positions. Her composure under pressure, switching disciplines just weeks before the Games, showed the depth of India's shooting talent.
The double-silver start sets a positive tone for India's shooting campaign after the country's record 22-medal haul at the previous Asian Games.
Based on reporting by The Hindu
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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