I relaxed a bit, but gave my best: Elavenil Valarivan after Asian Games silver

Elavenil Valarivan, 27, won two silver medals in the 10M Air Rifle at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan on September 20, 2026, but said she had eased up in the final and let a sure title chance slip away. She said she had given her absolute best despite the lapse in the closing stages.

The incident occurred at the Aichi General Shooting Gallery, where Elavenil smiled after the competition even as she queried what might have been. “Somewhere I knew I was in the top three and although I was coming back to my process and techniques, I did get a bit relaxed. I really need to work on my [game in] finals. But I think I gave my absolute best,” Elavenil said, making her return to the Asian Games after an eight-year absence after missing the previous edition.

She acknowledged the need to sharpen her finals routine and placed the performance in the context of recent changes to her preparation. “I was getting a little easy on my process, so I think I will have to get back and work on it more. It’s been like this post Paris [Olympics]. I am grateful I have been getting a lot of opportunities to learn, experiment and utilise my potential to the absolute best,” she added.

Team-mate Sonam Maskar also reflected on a narrow margin that cost her a place on the podium, having recorded only one poor shot of 9.9 during the competition and falling out of medal contention. “I am not disappointed but I feel it could have been a better shot. I will work on it... I have to focus more on the process, work more on how to do better in finals,” Maskar said.

Vidarsa K. Vinod, who missed the final, described the venue conditions and her own response to the result. “The light is very less compared to Delhi or Bhopal but overall, the range is fine. I am a bit disappointed on not making the final but I fought hard,” she said.

Elavenil left Nagoya with two silver medals from the 10M Air Rifle event at the Asian Games on September 20, 2026.