'Pressure released': Elavenil reveals what went wrong as late lapse costs her gold

Elavenil Valarivan, a 27-year-old Indian shooter, clinched two silver medals at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, despite a late lapse that cost her a gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle individual event. She had built a substantial lead of nearly 1.5 points, but three errors in the final stages altered the outcome. Japan's Taichi Hinata ultimately won gold with a record 253.0, while South Korea's Ban Hyojin claimed bronze with 230.4.

Elavenil acknowledged her relaxation towards the end, stating she needed to improve her finals technique. Despite the disappointment, she emphasized she gave her best effort and viewed it as a learning experience. This was Elavenil's second medal of the day, following a team silver with Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod. Her accomplishment marked a significant milestone, as she waited eight years to win an Asian Games medal after her debut at Jakarta in 2018.