Elavenil Valarivan clinches silver in 10m air rifle at Asian Games 2026

India added another medal to its Asian Games tally as Elavenil Valarivan secured the silver in the women’s 10m air‑rifle event in Nagoya, finishing behind Japan’s Hinata Taichi and ahead of South Korea’s Ban Hyojin.

Individual silver for Elavenil Valarivan

Competing in the individual final, Valarivan displayed composure throughout the 60‑shot series, posting a score that placed her second overall. The Japanese shooter Hinata Taichi edged her for gold, while Ban Hyojin of South Korea completed the podium with bronze.

Team event adds another silver

India’s women’s air‑rifle trio also performed strongly in the team competition, earning a silver medal behind the Japanese squad. The collective effort underscored the depth of talent in the Indian shooting contingent.

India’s broader shooting success

The Asian Games have seen three Indian shooters – Sonam, Vidarsa Vinod and Elavenil – each walk away with silver medals across different disciplines, highlighting a consistent level of performance. These results complement other Indian achievements at the Games, including a dominant 19‑0 win by the women’s hockey team.

Implications for Indian sport

Valarivan’s medal adds momentum to India’s preparations for upcoming international events and reinforces the country’s growing stature in shooting sports. With multiple medals already secured, the Indian contingent aims to build on this foundation as the Games progress.