Elavenil helps India win two silver medals on opening day, Soman and Vidarsa shine

Indian shooters won two silver medals on the opening day of the Asian Games 2026 with Elavenil Valarivan having a hand in both the medals. She finished second in the women’s 10m air rifle individual event after helping India to the team silver in Aichi on Sunday.

Elavenil, Sonam and Vidarsa Vinod combined for 1898.0 to win the women’s 10m air rifle team silver, India’s first medal of the Asian Games 2026.

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The People’s Republic of China won the team gold with a world record score of 1904.2, while hosts Japan took bronze with 1897.1. Sonam contributed 634.1, Elavenil shot 633.5 and Vidarsa 630.4 added to India’s total.

The two-time Olympian shot 252.4 in the individual final at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, finishing behind Japan’s Hinata Taichi, who won gold with an Asian Games record score of 253.0.

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Gagan Narang had won silver in both the 10m Air Rifle individual and team events at the 2010 Asian Games. Sixteen years later, his mentee Elavenil has matched that feat, winning silver in both events at the 2026 Asian Games

Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod combined for 1898.0 to win the women’s 10m air rifle team silver, India’s first medal of the Asian Games 2026. Pics: X

Olympic champion Ban Hyo-jin of the Republic of Korea took bronze with 230.4. India’s Sonam Maskar finished in sixth place with 167.0.

Elavenil begins strongly

In the individual final, Elavenil began strongly and led through much of the elimination phase. She remained on top after 20 shots with 211.1, just 0.3 ahead of Hinata.

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The Japanese shooter, however, moved ahead over the next two attempts and held a 232.2-231.9 advantage going into the final two shots.

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Elavenil registered 10.4 and 10.1 with her last two attempts while Hinata responded with 10.6 and 10.2 to clinch the title by 0.6 points.

It was Elavenil’s first individual Asian Games medal. She had competed at Jakarta 2018 as a teenager but did not progress to the women’s 10m air rifle final.

Elavenil also holds the Asian record of 253.6, set while winning the Asian Championships last year in Shymkent. She successfully defended her continental title at the 2026 Asian Championships in New Delhi.

Sonam loses out

Sonam Maskar had entered Sunday’s individual final as the third-highest qualifier with 634.1, while Elavenil qualified seventh with 633.5. Sonam remained in medal contention before being eliminated in sixth place.

China’s Wang Zifei, the silver medallist at the 2025 World Championships, finished fifth with 188.2. Her compatriot Han Jiayu, a former world champion, was seventh with 145.2.