India Kicks Off Asian Games with Double Silver in Shooting

India's Medal Journey Begins at the Asian Games

India commenced its medal quest at the 20th Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with a remarkable double-silver achievement in shooting, spearheaded by Olympian Elavenil Valarivan on Sunday.

The women's 10m Air Rifle event marked a successful start for India, yielding two podium finishes on the first full day of competition. Elavenil Valarivan earned silver in the individual final, while she, along with Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa Kochalumkal Vinod, secured silver in the team event.

India's Double Silver in 10m Air Rifle

The Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery witnessed India opening its medal tally, with Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod achieving a qualification aggregate of 1898.0 points to clinch silver in the women's 10m Air Rifle team event. China took home the gold with a score of 1904.2 points, featuring Wang Zifei (636.8), Han Jiayu (633.8), and Du Yuchen (633.6). Japan secured the bronze with a combined score of 1897.1. Sonam led the qualifying effort for India with an impressive 634.1, finishing third, while Elavenil qualified seventh with 633.5, and Vidarsa contributed a solid score of 630.4, placing 12th in the individual rankings.

Later in the day, Valarivan added to India's medal count by winning silver in the women's 10m air rifle final, continuing the country's strong performance in shooting at the continental event.

Valarivan's Individual Final Performance

Elavenil finished second to Japan's Hinata Taichi, who claimed the gold, while South Korea's Ban Hyojin took home the bronze. Valarivan started strong, leading after the first series with a score of 53.1, while Sonam Maskar, also competing in the final, ended her opening series in seventh place with 52.1.

After 10 shots, Elavenil maintained her lead with a score of 106.0, while Sonam was in joint fifth with 104.2. As the elimination rounds progressed, Elavenil continued her strong performance, scoring 10.6 in her first shot and 10.3 in her second, while Sonam also delivered solid shots.

After 12 shots, Elavenil led with 126.9, while Sonam was fourth with 125.5. Elavenil extended her lead with scores of 10.8 and 10.7 in the final stages, reaching 148.4 after 14 shots. Sonam was fourth at that point with 146.6.

In the subsequent series, Elavenil scored 10.7 and 10.5 to remain at the top, while Sonam's scores of 9.9 and 10.5 placed her sixth overall. Elavenil continued her excellent run, leading with 190.3 points after her 17th shot and 211.1 after 20 shots, with Hinata close behind at 210.8.

Elavenil was in medal contention after the 21st shot, scoring 10.5, but Hinata and Ban Hyojin kept the pressure on. After 22 shots, Elavenil was in second place with 231.9, trailing Hinata's 232.2. In the final shot, Elavenil scored 10.1, while Hinata secured gold with 10.2, leaving Elavenil with silver after a commendable performance.

Reactions to the Medal Wins

After her double silver medal win at the Asian Games, Valarivan expressed her joy at being able to bring happiness to her loved ones and dedicated her medals to her support team for their relentless efforts leading up to the event.

She shared, "I think I am still letting it settle in; it is very fresh, of course. I did speak to my family; I spoke to my mentor, my coach, my psychologist, and I could see all happy faces over, and I am very grateful that I gave them the opportunity to be happy."

Elavenil reflected on her previous Olympic experiences, noting that she had never been in a position to win a medal before. She expressed gratitude for the chance to represent her country and achieve this success.

She acknowledged the hard work of her support team, emphasizing their role in her preparation for the competition.

Elavenil's father, R. Valarivan, expressed pride in her achievements, highlighting the dedication she has shown over the years. He noted that her next goal is to win an Olympic medal.

Elavenil's mother, Saroja Valarivan, shared that the family watched the final live and felt proud of her performance, despite the silver medal outcome.

Vidarsa Kochalumkal Vinod on Her Journey

Vidarsa Kochalumkal Vinod also expressed her joy at winning silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event, dedicating her medal to her coach.

She stated, "I am so happy and so grateful that we have this medal. We got the medal for India, for our country, so I am so proud."

Vidarsa reflected on her challenging journey to reach this level, acknowledging the sacrifices and failures she faced along the way. She dedicated her medal to her coach, Manoj Kumar, and her family.

President and Prime Minister Extend Congratulations

India's double silver achievement was met with praise from the Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President Murmu congratulated Valarivan, Vidarsa Vinod, and Sonam Maskar for their accomplishments and wished them continued success.

PM Modi commended the trio for their teamwork and hard work, stating that their success would inspire future athletes.

Both leaders also congratulated Valarivan for her individual silver medal performance, marking a strong start for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.