Asian Games 2026: India women win 10m air rifle team silver in Aichi opener
Synopsis
India opened their Asian Games 2026 account with a women's 10m air rifle team silver in Aichi — the first shooting podium of the tournament. With Elavenil Valarivan and Sonam Maskar also through to the individual final, India has back-to-back medal opportunities from the same event, even as China set a world record in winning gold.
Key Takeaways
India's women's 10m air rifle team — Elavenil Valarivan , Sonam Maskar , and Vidarsa Kochalumkal — won silver at the Asian Games 2026 with 1,897 points .
China took gold with a world-record score of 1,904.2 ; hosts Japan won bronze at 1,897.1 .
Sonam Maskar (3rd, 634.1 pts ) and Elavenil Valarivan (7th, 633.5 pts ) qualified for the individual final .
Suchika Tariyal also secured India's first medal in Mixed Martial Arts Traditional 60kg by reaching the semifinals on the same day.
India had set a record of 22 medals at the 2023 Asian Games , including 7 gold , setting a high benchmark for 2026.
India's women's 10m air rifle team claimed a silver medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi on 20 September, delivering the country's first shooting podium finish of the Games. The trio of Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Kochalumkal accumulated 1,897 points across six series in the 16-team event at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery.
How the Team Medal Unfolded
The Indian trio opened strongly, combining for 316.9 points in the first series and following up with 316.8 in the second. Their best series came in the third, where they shot a combined 317.9, pushing the cumulative to 951.6. A slight dip in the fifth series — 314.8 — was steadied by a final-series effort of 315.4, leaving India at a total of 1,898 points, a margin of 0.9 above third-placed Japan.
China took gold with a world-record score of 1,904.2, while hosts Japan settled for bronze at 1,897.1. India finished a comfortable second despite the pressure of a large 16-team field.
Elavenil and Sonam Book Individual Final Berths
Beyond the team event, two of the three Indian shooters also advanced to the individual final of the 10m air rifle event. Sonam Maskar was particularly impressive, finishing third in the 57-athlete qualification field with 634.1 points. Elavenil Valarivan qualified in seventh place with a score of 633.5. Vidarsa Kochalumkal finished 12th in qualification with 630.4, narrowly missing the individual final cut.
India's Broader Medal Picture on Day One
The silver was confirmed as India's first shooting medal of the Asiad, though it was technically not the country's first medal of the tournament. Suchika Tariyal had earlier moved into the semifinals of Mixed Martial Arts Traditional 60kg on the same day, securing at least a bronze in that discipline. Notably, India had produced a record haul of 22 medals — including seven gold, nine silver, and six bronze — at the 2023 Asian Games, setting a high bar for the current edition.
Who Are the Shooters
Elavenil Valarivan is a decorated international shooter, having won two ISSF World Cup gold medals — at the 2019 and 2023 editions. Sonam Maskar brings formidable experience as a triple silver medallist at the ISSF World Cup Final, with all three titles won in 2024. Their individual final appearances make India a genuine contender for another podium finish in the coming round.
What to Watch Next
With Elavenil and Sonam through to the individual final, India has a realistic shot at adding more medals from the shooting range in Aichi. The individual 10m air rifle final will be a key moment to watch, as both shooters enter on strong form after the team qualification performance.
Point of View
But the more compelling subplot is India's depth in women's air rifle — two shooters from the same team qualifying individually in a 57-athlete field underscores the bench strength that Indian shooting has built post-Tokyo. China's world-record gold is a reminder of the ceiling, but Sonam Maskar's third-place qualification puts her firmly in medal contention. India's 2023 record haul was built on exactly this kind of multi-stage conversion — team medal followed by individual podiums — and the early signs from Aichi suggest the template is intact.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did India's women's 10m air rifle team finish at Asian Games 2026?
India's trio of Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Kochalumkal won the silver medal with a combined score of 1,897 points in the 16-team event at Aichi on 20 September 2026. China took gold with a world-record 1,904.2, and Japan claimed bronze at 1,897.1.
Which Indian shooters qualified for the individual 10m air rifle final?
Sonam Maskar and Elavenil Valarivan both advanced to the individual final. Sonam finished third in the 57-athlete qualification with 634.1 points, while Elavenil was seventh with 633.5 points.
Was the air rifle silver India's first medal at Asian Games 2026?
The silver was India's first confirmed shooting medal, though Suchika Tariyal had also secured at least a bronze by reaching the semifinals of Mixed Martial Arts Traditional 60kg on the same day, making shooting and MMA both early contributors to India's 2026 tally.
Who is Elavenil Valarivan?
Elavenil Valarivan is a two-time ISSF World Cup gold medallist, having won the title in 2019 and 2023. She is one of India's most experienced 10m air rifle shooters and was part of the silver-winning team at Asian Games 2026.
How does India's 2026 Asian Games shooting start compare to 2023?
India won a record 22 medals at the 2023 Asian Games, including seven gold in shooting. The 2026 campaign has begun with a team silver and two individual final qualifications on the opening day, suggesting India is on track for another strong shooting haul.
