India's Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane Shine in Asian Games 2026 Air Rifle Event

Strong Performance by Indian Shooters

In Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on September 22, India's Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane secured the second position in the qualification round for the 10m air rifle mixed team event at the Asian Games 2026, achieving a score of 634.9.

This impressive performance places the Indian duo in a favorable position for a potential medal in the mixed team competition.

China led the qualification with a remarkable score of 638.9, which not only topped the charts but also set a new world record, surpassing the previous record of 636.9.

India started strong, reaching 211.9 after 20 shots, and maintained their momentum throughout the qualification, ultimately finishing with a score that also broke the existing Asian record.

China's qualification was completed ahead of other teams, with Sheng Lihao, who participated in the men's 10m air rifle qualification earlier, contributing to their early finish.

While China and India concluded their rounds, South Korea and Iran were still in the process of completing their shots, with final standings pending until all teams finished.

This year's final format has been revamped; instead of separate matches for gold and bronze, all four qualifying teams will compete simultaneously, similar to individual events, featuring periodic eliminations.

In other news, India's Aadhya Tiwari faced a challenging start to her Asian Games 2026 journey, suffering a 1-4 defeat against Thailand's Alisha Ziegler in the women's singles Group D soft tennis event on Tuesday.

Despite a valiant effort, Aadhya lost the match with scores of 4-1, 0-4, 0-4, 2-4, and 4-6. She will aim for a comeback in her next Group D match against Pakistan's Kainaat Shallwani later on Tuesday, needing a win to enhance her chances in the competition.