From Olympic Disappointment to World Championship Glory
Indian shooting sensation Elavenil Valarivan scripted a remarkable comeback story on Saturday, clinching the bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Championship in Cairo. This achievement marks a significant redemption for the 26-year-old shooter from Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, who had experienced heartbreak at the Paris Olympics just months earlier.
Steely Performance in Elite Competition
In a fiercely competitive final that featured eight of the world's best shooters, Elavenil displayed exceptional composure and skill. The Indian shooter initially chased the leaders, then took charge of the competition, before eventually settling for the bronze medal with a score of 232.0 points. Her performance throughout the final was characterized by remarkable consistency, with her first 18 shots never dropping below 10.4.
India's rifle coach Deepali Deshpande, who watched anxiously from the coach's seat, described the intensity of the competition. "It was just like, who blinks first. There was no scope for bad shooting. You just have to hold your ground tight," she said. "This is the best finals performance she has had this year. With every match, she's getting better."
A Season of Consistent Excellence
The World Championship bronze represents the culmination of an outstanding 2025 season for Elavenil, who has established herself as India's best rifle shooter this year. Her journey to the podium in Cairo included previous successes at the Munich World Cup, where she won bronze against top-tier competition, and an Asian Championship gold medal.
In the qualification round at Cairo, Elavenil finished fifth with a score of 633.4, demonstrating her form with all six series scoring 105 or above. However, the final presented its own challenges. With six shots remaining, she led the competition, but a 10.0 on her 19th shot - her first below-par attempt - followed by final scores of 10.4 and 9.9 saw her finish third.
South Korea's Ban Hyojin claimed the gold medal with an impressive 255 points, while China's Wang Zifei took silver with 254 points. The other Indian competitors, Meghana Sajjanar and Shreya Agrawal, finished 17th and 33rd respectively in the qualification round.
Rediscovering the Joy of Shooting
According to her long-time coach Neha Chavan from Gun for Glory, Elavenil's success stems from rediscovering her passion for the sport. "In the junior circuit, you enjoy the sport. Once you make it to the seniors and are in the top 3, it becomes about winning. And in that process, in that journey you miss out on enjoying the sport. I feel that she has found that purpose again," Chavan explained.
This mental shift proved crucial following her Paris Olympics disappointment, where Elavenil missed qualifying for the eight-woman final by mere decimal points. The cameras had captured her comforting fellow shooter Arjun Babuta when he narrowly missed a bronze medal, showing her resilience and team spirit even in personal setback.
Coach Chavan reflected on the final moments of the competition: "What happens is when you're in the Top 3, there is always one point where you know you have already won one medal. I wouldn't say it's a mistake. But when you have to win, you need those good shots. And it's also a matter of, you know, that 1% of that luck."
Despite the visible disappointment on her face after the final shots, Elavenil's bronze medal at the World Championship represents a significant milestone in her career and sets the stage for future successes on the international shooting circuit.
