INDIA’S shooting campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games began on a high note, with experienced rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan playing a starring role in the country’s double-silver haul in the women’s 10m air rifle competition, here on Sunday. Elavenil, one of India’s most accomplished rifle shooters, helped the country secure silver in the team event before adding an individual silver later in the day. The latter, however, came with a hint of disappointment as the Tamil Nadu-born shooter appeared firmly on course for gold for most of the final, only to see her challenge fade in the closing stages as Japan’s Hinata Taichi held her nerve to emerge champion.

 

The 2025World Championship bronze medallist finished with 252.4 points, just 0.6 behind Taichi, who clinched gold with an Asian Games record 253.0. South Korea’s Ban Hyo-jin, the reigning world champion and Paris Olympics gold medallist, took bronze with 230.4. For Elavenil, the silver was her first individual medal at the Asian Games, having competed at the 2018 Jakarta and 2022 Hangzhou editions without making the podium. She had looked in complete command for much of the final and seemed to have the gold within her sights. After the 17th shot, she held a 1.4-point advantage over Ban, with Taichi lying third.