Elavenil Valarivan Shines with Double Silver at Asian Games 2026

Celebrating Elavenil's Achievement

On Sunday, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya extended his congratulations to Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan for her remarkable silver medal win in the women's 10m air rifle individual event at the Asian Games 2026. Mandaviya shared a video of her performance on X, expressing his admiration for her achievement at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He tweeted, "Another Silver for Elavenil Valarivan! Heartiest congratulations on securing the Silver Medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Individual event at the #AsianGames2026."

IOA President's Commendation

PT Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), also congratulated Elavenil along with her teammates Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod for winning silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event. Usha praised their efforts on X, highlighting their role in opening India's medal tally at the Games. She stated, "What an opening to the medal account! Congratulations to Elavenil, Sonam, and Vidarsa for winning silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event!"

Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM's Praise

Pawan Kalyan, the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, also recognized the achievements of Elavenil, Sonam, and Vidarsa for their silver medal in the women's 10m air rifle team event. His official post on X commended the trio for their impressive performance, noting that they opened India's medal campaign at the Games. He remarked, "Heartiest congratulations to Elavenil, Sonam, and Vidarsa on securing the Silver Medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team Event at the Asian Games 2026."

Performance Highlights

The Deputy CM's post emphasized their impressive combined score of 1898.0 points, showcasing their composed performance. He added, "Your precision, discipline, and determination have brought great pride to Bharat. May this achievement inspire you to aim even higher and continue your pursuit of excellence in future competitions."

Elavenil's Silver Medal Journey

Elavenil Valarivan's silver medal in the women's 10m air rifle final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 marked a significant achievement for India. She finished second, trailing Japan's Hinata Taichi, who took home the gold, while South Korea's Ban Hyojin secured the bronze. Elavenil showcased her skills by leading after the first series with a score of 53.1, while her fellow Indian shooter Sonam Maskar placed seventh with a score of 52.1.

India's Strong Performance at the Games

In addition to shooting, India had a strong start in other events at the Games. Suchika Tariyal earned a medal in women's traditional 60kg MMA by defeating Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the quarterfinals. Furthermore, the women's hockey team kicked off their campaign with an impressive 19-0 victory over Uzbekistan, and the women's table tennis team achieved a 3-0 win against Indonesia in their Group F match.