Indian shooters clinch silver, first medal at Asian Games 2026

Indian shooters Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod won a silver medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team event, securing India’s first medal at the Asian Games 2026. China won gold and Japan secured the bronze medal.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday hailed Indian shooters Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod for winning silver in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team event, securing India’s first medal at the 2026 Asian Games. The Indian trio scored 1898.0 points to win silver, finishing behind China, which claimed gold with a world-record 1904.2 points. Host Japan took bronze with 1897.1 points.

"India’s first medal at #AsianGames2026! Congratulations to Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar & Vidarsa K Vinod on securing Silver in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team event. Wishing our champions and the entire Indian contingent many more moments of glory," Mandaviya wrote in an X post.

India’s first medal at #AsianGames2026! Congratulations to Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar & Vidarsa K Vinod on securing Silver in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team event. Wishing our champions and the entire Indian contingent many more moments of glory.#Cheer4Bharat pic.twitter.com/Y36yGduYuM — Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 20, 2026

First Confirmed Medal at Aichi-Nagoya Games

The result marked India’s first confirmed medal at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Earlier, MMA fighter Suchika Tariyal became the first Indian athlete to assure a medal by advancing to the semifinals of the women’s Traditional MMA 60kg competition, where both losing semifinalists are awarded bronze medals.

Individual Scores and Final Qualification

Sonam emerged as India’s top scorer in the team event with 634.1 points, while Elavenil contributed 633.5 and Vidarsa 630.4, taking the Indian team’s combined tally to 1898.0 points. India had more reason to celebrate as Elavenil and Sonam also advanced to the individual final. Their qualifying scores placed both shooters among the top eight finalists in the individual women’s 10m air rifle competition.

The two Indians will now have another opportunity to add to the country’s medal tally when they compete in the eight-woman individual 10m air rifle final later on Sunday.

(ANI)

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