- Olympian Elavenil Valarivan outguns Japan’s Misaki Nobata to win women’s 10m Air Rifle gold
- Shambhavi Kshirsagar rewrites Asian Junior Finals record; India sweeps junior women’s podium
- Ten golds on Day 4 take India’s medal haul to 43 at Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship
NE SPORTS BUREAU
HYDERABAD, FEB 8
India’s shooting juggernaut rolled on in emphatic fashion at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship as Olympian Elavenil Valarivan and teenage sensation Shambhavi Kshirsagar headlined a dominant Day Four at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi.
Elavenil produced a nerveless comeback to clinch gold in the women’s 10m Air Rifle, holding off a fierce challenge from Japan’s Misaki Nobata, while Meghana Sajjanar added further cheer with a bronze, ensuring two Indians on the senior podium. The Indian trio also combined to claim team gold with an aggregate score of 1892.6, underlining the country’s depth in the discipline.
Elavenil’s Composed Comeback
Placed fifth after two series, Elavenil clawed her way back into contention by the 18th shot and then displayed trademark composure under pressure. While Nobata closed strongly with two 10.8s, Elavenil’s consistency — highlighted by a crucial 10.9 — proved decisive. Meghana stayed in the hunt till the closing stages, while Arya Borse, who was in medal contention until the 18th shot, slipped out after a low 9.8.
Shambhavi Rewrites the Record Books
The spotlight then shifted to the junior finals, where Shambhavi Kshirsagar delivered a performance for the ages. She set a new Asian Junior Finals record of 253.7, surpassing Isha Anil Taksale’s 253.1, set in Jakarta in 2024. Shambhavi dominated from start to finish, winning gold with a commanding four-point margin over Manyata Singh (249.7). Aneesha Sharma claimed bronze with 227.5, as India completed a clean sweep of the junior women’s podium.
The trio of Shambhavi, Aneesha and Sandrata Roy then teamed up to bag team gold with a combined score of 1884.2, further extending India’s medal surge.
Pistol Power and Youth Glory
India’s supremacy was evident earlier in the day as shooters swept the podium in the 50m Men’s Pistol. Former 10m Air Pistol World No.1 Saurabh Chaudhary struck gold, Kamaljeet Chaudhary took silver and reigning World Champion Ravinder Singh claimed bronze. Yogesh Kumar ensured a double delight by winning gold in the junior category of the event.
In the women’s youth category, Ojasvi Thakur capped off a flawless Indian show, clinching gold with 250.4. Sri Lanka’s Umaya Ovitigala Withanage settled for silver, while Yasmin Figila Achadiat took bronze. Ojasvi, along with Anvii Vikram Rathod and Hrudya Shri Kondur, also secured team gold with 1890.6.
Medal Tally Soars
With ten gold medals on Day Four, India’s overall tally surged to 43 medals, comprising 27 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze, reinforcing the nation’s status as the undisputed powerhouse of Asian shooting.
