Elavenil Valarivan Finds Silver Lining In Asian Games Gold Miss
Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan said defeating reigning Olympic and world champion Ban Hyojin of South Korea for the silver medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 helped ease the disappointment of narrowly missing out on gold in the women’s 10m air rifle event.
Elavenil returned to India late Friday night alongside seven other medal-winning members of the Indian shooting contingent, receiving a warm welcome at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Elavenil Valarivan Reflects On Asian Games Silver
Elavenil led the women’s 10m air rifle final for much of the competition but missed out on the gold medal in the closing stages.
Despite the disappointment, the Indian shooter expressed gratitude for representing the country and winning a medal at the continental event.
“I feel very grateful that I got to represent my country and was able to bring a lot of laurels for the country. Definitely, there is some disappointment that I could not win the gold, but nevertheless, this is just the beginning and I think there is more to come,” Elavenil told PTI.
The shooter said defeating Ban Hyojin, who finished third, was a significant confidence booster as she continues preparing for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
“I did beat the world champion as well as the Olympic champion, who came third. I am very grateful that I have an amazing team around me and we have been training on the right path. This medal is a confidence booster for me, to know that I am on the right track (towards the LA Olympics),” she said.
Mairaj Ahmad Khan Ends Long Wait For Asian Games Medal
Veteran shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan, 50, expressed relief and happiness after finally securing an Asian Games medal following a career spanning more than two decades.
The Indian shooter, who made his Asian Games debut in 2006, thanked industrialist Naveen Jindal for supporting him throughout his journey.
“For the last 25 years, I’m working. My first Asian Games was in 2006. And after two decades, I’ve won this medal for my country. And I’m very happy and I’m very thankful to Naveen Jindal, who supported me all the way through my journey to pursue my goal,” he said.
Anantjit Singh Naruka Happy With Double Silver
Anantjit Singh Naruka returned with two silver medals and expressed pride in his performance, while acknowledging that athletes always aim for a better medal colour.
The Indian shooter said his achievement reflected the hard work put in by the team.
“It means a lot. I came back with two medals last time in China also, and this time also I got back with two medals.
“It’s a proud moment for all of us. We worked really hard for it, and that’s what showed when we were playing our matches. Of course, as an athlete, we feel that the colour could have gotten better. But I’m really happy with two medals,” he said.
Coffee, Preparation And Focus On Los Angeles 2028
Naruka said he and Parinaaz Dhaliwal relied on coffee and limited sleep to maintain their aggression during competition. Both shooters had also participated in individual finals.
“Myself and Parinaaz both are very aggressive shooters, if we don’t get the coffee kicking we don’t get that aggression,” Naruka said.
He added that despite hoping to win three medals, he was satisfied with his two and would now turn his attention to the Los Angeles Olympics.
“I was actually expecting three medals, because I was shooting well but I am very happy with two medals as well. Now we will start preparing for the LA28.”
Raiza Dhillon Calls Team Medal Historic
Young shooter Raiza Dhillon described the team medal as a historic achievement for Indian shooting. She also finished fourth in the individual competition.
“It’s a very historic medal for us. It’s the first team medal we’ve ever gotten in this game, so it’s been a very big medal. And otherwise also, in the individual, I came fourth, so it was a very good competition all in all for me,” she said.
Raiza added that she had hoped to return with a medal and was pleased to have achieved that goal.
Parth Mane Credits Suma Shirur For Silver
Parth Mane, who won silver in the men’s 10m air rifle team event alongside Rudrankksh Patil and Himanshu Dhillon, credited preparatory camps and training under coach Suma Shirur for helping him manage pressure.
“Definitely feels good as it is my first senior and Asian games medal. There were butterflies but the federation had organised preparatory camps.
“We learnt to deal with pressure during that phase which helped a lot. I had good training with my coach Suma (Shirur) ma’am back home,” Mane said.
Himanshu Dhillon Targets Gold At World Championships
Himanshu Dhillon, who also secured an individual silver medal, said he was pleased with the warm welcome but admitted that missing gold had left him disappointed.
The shooter vowed to aim for gold at the upcoming World Championships and Olympics.
“This is my first senior medal in the individual event, and it feels very good to receive such a warm welcome after returning to India.
“When the event started, we had expectations that we would win a medal, and there is a little disappointment that the gold did not come. But next time, at the World Championships and the Olympics, we will make up for it,” Dhillon said.
