Elavenil Valarivan Reflects on Silver Medal Performance at 2026 Asian Games

Elavenil Valarivan's Journey in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Event

Elavenil Valarivan, who has won two silver medals at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games, shared her thoughts on the women's 10m Air Rifle individual final held on Sunday. She expressed that she could have made more strategic choices during her final shots, which ultimately cost her the gold medal. However, she emphasized the importance of learning from the experience.

The women's 10m Air Rifle event marked a successful start for India on the first full day of competition, with Valarivan earning silver in the individual category and contributing to another silver in the team event alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa Kochalumkal Vinod. Valarivan finished the individual final with a score of 252.4 points, just behind Japan's Hinata Taichi, who secured gold with 253.0 points, while South Korea's Ban Hyojin took home the bronze with 230.4 points.

Insights from Elavenil Valarivan

During a virtual media interaction, Valarivan reflected on her performance, admitting that better decision-making in her last three shots could have changed the outcome. She noted that patience and improved breathing techniques might have enhanced her performance under pressure. "There are many things I could have done differently, but right now, I am focusing on the lessons learned from those final shots," she stated. "I could have been more patient and worked on my breathing more effectively."

The Competitive Final

Valarivan entered the final with strong momentum, leading after the first series with a score of 53.1. Her fellow competitor, Sonam Maskar, finished her opening series with 52.1, placing her seventh. After ten shots, Valarivan maintained her lead with a score of 106.0, while Maskar was in joint fifth with 104.2.

As the elimination rounds progressed, Valarivan continued to perform consistently, scoring 10.6 on her first shot and following it with a 10.3. Maskar also delivered impressive shots, including a 10.6 and a 10.7. After twelve shots, Valarivan led with 126.9 points, while Maskar was fourth with 125.5.

Valarivan's dominance continued as she hit scores of 10.8 and 10.7 in her next two shots, extending her lead to 148.4 after fourteen shots. Maskar, however, fell to fourth place with 146.6. In the subsequent series, Valarivan scored 10.7 and 10.5, remaining at the top, while Maskar's scores of 9.9 and 10.5 led her to finish sixth.

Valarivan's excellent performance continued with a 10.6 in her 17th shot and a 10.1 in her 18th, leading with 190.3 points. After twenty shots, she held a score of 211.1, closely followed by Hinata Taichi at 210.8. After the 21st shot, Valarivan scored 10.5, but Hinata and Ban Hyojin kept the pressure on. After 22 shots, Valarivan was in second place with 231.9 points, just behind Hinata's 232.2. In the final shot, Valarivan scored 10.1, while Hinata secured the gold with 10.2, leaving Valarivan with silver.

Overcoming Challenges

The ongoing Asian Games have faced challenges, particularly regarding accommodation issues for Indian athletes in Aichi-Nagoya. Valarivan acknowledged these difficulties but emphasized her focus on blocking out distractions and adhering to her training once on the shooting range. "As shooters, we train to block out the world when we are on the lane. Despite the issues with arrangements in Nagoya, my goal was to execute what I have trained for over the past months. Anything else is a distraction. When I am on the lane, my focus is solely on following my process efficiently, even when distractions arise," she explained.