Asian Shooting C'ships: Elavenil Valarivan wins Gold, sets National Record

Indian Olympian Elavenil Valarivan continued her impressive form by clinching the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle competition at the 16th Asian Shooting Championships. The victory marks her second consecutive individual medal at the continental event, following her silver medal win at the 2024 Asian Championships in Jakarta.

The 26-year-old from Tamil Nadu showcased an impressive display of composure in the final, shooting a formidable score of 253.6 points to secure the top spot. This remarkable score sets a new national record and is a testament to her consistent excellence on the global stage.

She was joined on the podium by Peng Xinlu of China, who took the silver medal, and Kwon Eun-ji of South Korea, who claimed the bronze.

The gold medal serves as a moment of redemption for Valarivan, who had narrowly missed the top honour in 2024, losing by a mere 0.1 points to her compatriot Nancy Mandhotra. This victory highlights her grit and determination to convert silver into gold.

Mehuli Ghosh, another Indian in the fray, signed off in fourth position with a score of 208.9 in the eight-shooter final.

This podium contention followed a crucial moment in qualification where she originally finished 10th but advanced to the final as two higher-placed Indian shooters, Arya Borse and Sonam Maskar, stepped aside as they were competing only for ranking points.

Valarivan's individual triumph was complemented by a strong team performance from India. The trio of Elavenil, Mehuli Ghosh, and Naidu Ananya secured the bronze medal in the team event with a combined score of 1891.0.

This medal, along with Elavenil’s individual gold, adds to India’s rising tally at the event, which includes other senior medals from Anantjeet Singh Naruka in men’s skeet and Manu Bhaker in women’s 10m air pistol.