Neck pillows, no phones: How India’s shooters tackled 2-hour bus ride to win silver medals

In Toyota City, India's shooters faced a challenging two-hour bus ride to reach the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, which sits at an elevation of 670 meters. The winding roads and changing landscapes presented their own set of difficulties. To maintain their mental and physical freshness, the Indian athletes used neck pillows to avoid stiffness from the bus's constant movement, and they avoided using their phones to steer clear of motion sickness. Some even chose to sleep before reaching the competition venue.

Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod brought home the first two silver medals for India, finishing behind China in the women's 10m air rifle team event. Elavenil narrowly missed a gold medal by just 0.6 points, coming in second behind Japan's Taichi Hinata in the final. The team's success was attributed to their rigorous home preparations, which focused on overcoming challenges at the shooting range. However, they also had to adapt to the difficulties during the bus journey.

Coach Manoj Kumar advised the shooters to bring neck pillows and avoid using their phones during the commute. Elavenil, who has a history of neck issues, particularly valued the neck pillow advice. She found it crucial to keep her neck stable before the competition. The coaching staff provided guidance only two days before the event, realizing the long journey would be an issue. Despite the initial expectation of a 70-minute commute, the actual journey took closer to two hours, prompting the coaches to intervene.

The shooting range presented its own set of challenges, with rapidly changing light conditions, varying temperatures, and strong winds. The athletes had to adjust their sights and aim accordingly, as the varying surroundings reminded some of their training locations.