Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan won back-to-back silver medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, 20 September, helping India finish second in both the women's 10m air rifle team event and the individual final at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery — and has already set her sights firmly on the upcoming mixed team 10m air rifle competition.

A Day of Double Silver

Elavenil's individual final was a near-miss on gold. She led for much of the contest before Japan's Hinata Taichi produced a decisive closing series to clinch the title with an Asian Games record score of 253.0. Elavenil finished just behind at 252.4, separated by a slim but decisive margin. Earlier in the day, she had helped India secure the team silver alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa K. Vinod.

Elavenil's Focus: Leave It Behind, Move Forward

Despite the twin achievements, the young shooter said she is determined not to let the success become a distraction. 'I think, of course, today's success is something that I would… Today's learning is something that I would be taking from here today. But tomorrow again, it's a new day; it's a new challenge for me,' she said at a post-event media interaction.

She outlined her immediate schedule with characteristic focus: 'We have the pre-event training tomorrow, and we have the mixed doubles match day after. So my goal is just to leave this off, take the learning from today's event and head on to the next one.'

On the topic of celebrations, she struck a measured note: 'Of course, there is plenty of time for me once I am back at my home to celebrate.' The mixed team event, for which she is set to partner a male counterpart, represents a third shot at a podium finish for India in shooting at these Games.

Her Message to Young Athletes

Asked about what aspiring sportspersons could take from her performance, Elavenil used the platform to advocate for self-belief. 'I think my message would be to believe in themselves. I mean, I keep telling this because I kind of have lately been doing this, that is, believing in myself, because when one starts to believe in themselves, I think there is no stopping. Let it be sports, let it be culture, let it be education, let it be whatever field they are choosing to be,' she said.

She added: 'If they have the trust in themselves that they can achieve what they want. I think that is the biggest takeaway that I can give.'

India's Shooting Campaign at Aichi-Nagoya

The double silver adds meaningful depth to India's shooting tally at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The 10m air rifle discipline has long been a competitive stronghold for India, and Elavenil's performances underscore the bench strength the country has developed at the elite level. With the mixed team event still to come, the Indian shooting contingent retains a live opportunity to upgrade its medal count before this chapter of the Games closes.