Nagoya, September 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Elavenil Valarivan added another silver medal to India’s tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after finishing second in a thrilling women’s 10m air rifle individual final at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery on Sunday.
Having earlier helped India win silver in the team event, Elavenil came close to claiming gold in the individual final before Japan’s Hinata Taichi produced a decisive finish to take the top spot with an Asian Games record score of 253.0.
Elavenil controlled much of the final. She made a strong start, scoring 53.1 after the opening five shots, and continued to lead as the elimination rounds began.
The Indian shooter maintained her advantage deep into the final, producing a series of strong scores to stay ahead of a tightly packed field. Sonam Uttam Maskar, who was also part of India’s silver-winning team, remained in medal contention before eventually finishing sixth.
The battle for gold went down to the final two shots. Elavenil entered the closing stages with a 0.3-point lead over Taichi.
The Indian responded with a 10.4, but Taichi answered with a 10.6 to narrow the gap.
With one shot remaining, Elavenil needed a strong finish to retain the lead. She managed a 10.1, but Taichi held her nerve with a 10.2 to finish on 253.0 and secure the gold.
Elavenil ended with 252.4 to claim the silver.
The individual silver capped a memorable day for Elavenil in Nagoya. After helping India secure silver in the team competition earlier in the day, she returned to the range and produced another strong performance under pressure.
With two silver medals secured within just over an hour, Elavenil emerged as one of India’s standout performers in the shooting competition at the Asian Games.
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