Key Highlights:

  • Elavenil Valarivan won silver in the women's 10m air rifle individual final, finishing with a score of 252.4.
  • Japan's Hinata Taichi claimed gold with an Asian Games record score of 253.0.
  • Elavenil led for much of the final before a tense final-shot battle decided the gold.
  • This marked Elavenil's second silver of the day, after contributing to India's team silver earlier.
  • Indian shooter Sonam Uttam Maskar, also part of the team silver, finished sixth in the individual final.

A Second Silver in a Single Day

Elavenil Valarivan added another silver to India's medal tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after finishing second in a tense women's 10m air rifle individual final at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery on Sunday, capping off a highly productive day for the Indian shooter.

A Day That Began With Team Success

Having already contributed to India's silver in the team event earlier in the day, Elavenil came within touching distance of another medal of a different colour before Japan's Hinata Taichi produced a decisive finish to claim gold with an Asian Games record score of 253.0.

Leading for Much of the Final

Elavenil was firmly in control for much of the final. She opened strongly and remained at the top through the early stages, posting 53.1 after the first five shots, before extending her advantage as the elimination rounds began, establishing herself as the clear frontrunner for gold through the middle portion of the competition.

Sustained Control Through the Field

She continued to hold the lead deep into the final, with a series of strong scores keeping her ahead of a tightly packed field of competitors. Indian shooter Sonam Uttam Maskar, who had also been part of the team silver-winning combination earlier in the day, remained in medal contention for a stretch of the final before eventually finishing sixth.

A Battle Decided by the Final Two Shots

The battle for gold ultimately came down to the final two shots of the competition. Elavenil entered the closing stages just 0.3 points ahead of Taichi, a narrow margin that set up a genuinely tense conclusion to the final. The Indian shooter responded to the pressure with a 10.4, but Taichi answered right back with a 10.6, narrowing the gap between the two competitors even further.

A Decisive Final Shot

With only one shot remaining, Elavenil needed a strong finish to retain her position at the top. She managed a 10.1, a solid but not decisive score, while Taichi held her nerve with a 10.2, a marginally better shot that took the Japanese shooter to a final total of 253.0 and secured the gold medal. Elavenil finished on 252.4, settling for silver after leading for the majority of the competition.

A Memorable Day Overall for Elavenil

For Elavenil, the individual silver capped a memorable day in Nagoya. After helping India secure silver in the team competition earlier, she returned to the range and fought through a high-pressure final to claim another podium finish, demonstrating both consistency and composure across two separate competitive events within the same day.

A Standout Performer in India's Shooting Campaign

With two silver medals claimed inside just over an hour, Elavenil emerged as one of India's standout performers in the shooting competition at the Asian Games, her back-to-back podium finishes marking her as a central figure in India's overall medal effort in the sport at this edition of the Games.