Elavenil Valarivan Wins Silver in 10m Air Rifle, Bags Second Asian Games Medal in Aichi-Nagoya

Elavenil Valarivan has added another medal to India’s tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, winning silver in the women’s 10m air rifle individual final. 

The Indian shooter finished with a score of 252.4, narrowly missing out on the gold medal after being in contention for the top position deep into the final. The silver is Valarivan’s second medal of the Games, having earlier helped India win silver in the women’s 10m air rifle team event alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod.

Japan’s Taichi Hinata took the gold medal with a score of 253.0, while South Korea’s Ban Hyojin finished third with 230.4. For Valarivan, the result adds another major Asian Games achievement to a career that has already included two Olympic appearances, World Cup titles and a junior world record.

Valarivan entered the individual final after producing a strong qualification performance and continued to challenge for the top position throughout the medal round. She eventually finished with 252.4 points, just 0.6 points behind the gold-medal score of 253.0.

The Indian shooter had been in pole position after 19 rounds, putting herself in a strong position to potentially claim the gold. However, the closing stages of the final changed the standings, with Hinata moving ahead to secure the title.

Despite missing out on gold, Valarivan's performance secured another silver medal for India and gave her two podium finishes in the same event at the Games.

The final standings saw Hinata at the top with 253.0, followed by Valarivan at 252.4 and Ban Hyojin at 230.4. Japan's Nobata Misaki, China's Wang Zifei and India's Sonam Uttam Maskar also featured in the eight-shooter final.

Second medal for Valarivan at Aichi-Nagoya

Valarivan had already played a central role in India's opening medal of the Asian Games. Alongside Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod, she helped India win silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event. India finished with 1898.0 points, edging hosts Japan by 0.9 points. China claimed the gold medal with a world-record score of 1904.2, while Japan took bronze with 1897.1.

The Indian trio's performance was built on strong individual contributions. Sonam produced 634.1 in qualification, Valarivan shot 633.5 and Vidarsa recorded 630.4. The team silver was India's first medal of the 2026 Asian Games campaign. Valarivan's individual silver has now doubled her personal medal tally at the Games and taken India's overall haul further.

Valarivan's journey to the top of international shooting began almost by chance. At the age of 12, she accompanied her father to a shooting range. During the visit, she was encouraged to try shooting, with another young shooter offering her a spare rifle. What started as an experiment eventually became a serious sporting pursuit.

By the age of 15, Valarivan had decided to pursue shooting professionally. Training required considerable commitment, including travelling around 30 kilometres from her home in Ahmedabad to a school in Sanand that had a shooting range. Her breakthrough arrived in 2018.

At the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney, Valarivan broke the junior world record in qualification before going on to win gold in the women's 10m air rifle. She continued her rise later that year, winning another Junior World Cup gold and a silver medal at the Junior World Championships.

In 2019, she moved into senior international competition and quickly established herself among the world's leading shooters. She won gold at the ISSF World Cup Final in China and also claimed gold at the Asian Airgun Championships.

Her performances eventually earned her the Arjuna Award in 2022.

Olympic experience and another major comeback

Valarivan has also competed at the Olympic Games, representing India at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Her path to Paris was particularly significant after experiencing disappointment during the previous Asian Games cycle. Despite having been ranked World No. 1 in the 10m air rifle around the Tokyo Olympic period, she missed India's squad for the 2022 Asian Games. She responded by returning to the international stage and securing another Olympic appearance.

At Paris 2024, she finished 10th in the women's 10m air rifle event. Now, at the 2026 Asian Games, Valarivan has once again reached the podium and done so twice.

The two silver medals in Aichi-Nagoya underline the longevity of Valarivan's career at the highest level. From picking up a rifle almost accidentally at the age of 12 to becoming a junior world-record holder, World Cup champion, two-time Olympian and now a double Asian Games medallist, her journey has been defined by consistency and resilience.

Her individual silver was particularly close, with just 0.6 points separating her from gold after a final in which she remained in contention until the closing stages. India's shooting campaign at the Asian Games has therefore received a significant boost from one of its most experienced competitors.

Elavenil Valarivan leaves the 10m air rifle individual final with silver her second medal of Aichi-Nagoya 2026 and another podium finish on a career already filled with major international achievements.