Elavenil Valarivan, 27, won two silver medals for India in the women’s 10m air rifle events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 20, 2026, ending an eight-year wait for an Asian Games podium.
She first helped India finish second in the team event alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod, with their combined 1898.0 points behind China’s world-record 1904.2. Hours later, Valarivan claimed individual silver with 252.4, finishing just 0.6 behind Japan’s Hinata Taichi, who set an Asian Games record of 253.0.
The result is particularly significant for the two-time Olympian, who had previously competed at Jakarta 2018, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 without an Asian Games medal.
Rather than blaming pressure for the narrow individual loss, Valarivan said she was focused on following her technique and process, while acknowledging that greater patience and better breathing could have changed her final shots.
Her journey from a teenager who discovered shooting almost by chance to a world-ranked elite shooter reflects years of coaching, setbacks, self-doubt and a gradual shift from chasing results to enjoying the sport.
The Shooter Behind The Bandana
Valarivan’s distinctive appearance has become almost as recognisable as her shooting. A Batman bandana sits beneath her visor, while small gold earrings reflect her Tamil roots. Yet behind the personality is a shooter trained to control the smallest details.
In 10m air rifle, the ISSF’s 10-ring is just 0.5 mm across, while competitors must maintain extraordinary control over their posture, breathing, trigger movement and concentration. Valarivan discovered shooting at around 13 after accompanying her father to a range and eventually began training seriously.
Her rise was rapid: in 2018, aged 18, she won junior World Cup gold in Sydney and recorded a 631.4 qualification score that was then a junior world record. She later trained at Gagan Narang’s academy under coach Neha Chavan, developing into one of India’s leading rifle shooters.
Narang has remained a mentor, and before the Asian Games final, he video-called Valarivan and shared advice. Valarivan said his guidance helped her approach the final with greater perspective.
Eight Years Of Setbacks
The two silvers carry the weight of several disappointments. At her first Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, Valarivan finished 14th in the women’s 10m air rifle and missed the final. She was subsequently left out of India’s Hangzhou Asian Games team.
At the Tokyo Olympics, she finished 16th in individual qualification, while at Paris 2024 she placed 10th and again missed the final. Yet major international success continued. She won the Asian Championship in 2025 with a 253.6 final, an Asian record at the time, and successfully defended her title in New Delhi in February 2026 with 252.0.
The ISSF also records her as part of India’s world-record mixed-team performance with Arjun Babuta at the 2026 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship, where they scored 505.0. Valarivan has acknowledged that self-doubt was part of the journey, particularly when results did not match the work being put in.
She credited her coach, psychologist, strength and conditioning trainer, nutritionist and physiotherapist for helping her through those difficult periods. Her approach has since changed. “Initially it was more about me making it to the team, winning the competition,” she said. “Now it is more about enjoying it.”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Elavenil Valarivan’s story is not simply about two silver medals or a gold that slipped away by 0.6 points. It is about what happens when sporting ambition is allowed to coexist with patience, self-belief and the freedom to learn from disappointment.
Her final may have ended with silver, but her own response identifying the need for better patience, breathing and shot judgement rather than blaming pressure offers a valuable perspective on competition and resilience. Her journey also highlights the importance of the people around an athlete: coaches, psychologists, trainers, family and mentors who continue to support them when medals do not arrive immediately.
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