Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta Secure Gold with World Record Performance at Asian Championship
Indian shooting stars Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta delivered a spectacular performance at the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship on Sunday, winning the 10m air rifle mixed team gold medal for India. The duo achieved a remarkable total score of 505, setting a new world record in the process.
Dominant Victory Over Asian Rivals
India's gold medal finish came with a commanding lead over their closest competitors. The South Korean pair of Eunji Kwon and Kim Woorim secured the silver medal with a score of 501, while the Japanese team of Misaki Nobata and Naoya Okada took bronze with 437.1 points. This victory marked Valarivan's third top-place finish in this particular event, showcasing her growing dominance in the discipline.
Paris Olympics Experience Fuels Success
The 26-year-old Valarivan attributed her current success to the valuable experience gained at the Paris Olympics, despite finishing 10th and not qualifying for the final there. "Paris was a great learning experience for me," Valarivan explained. "I feel that post-Paris was when something changed in my sporting life. I'm enjoying the sport right now and it's showing in the results."
Her renewed mindset was evident not just in the team event but also in her individual performance a day earlier. In the 10m air rifle individual competition at the Karni Singh Ranges, Valarivan secured gold with a score that surpassed what Paris gold medallist Hyo-jin Ban achieved in the 2024 Olympic final.
Strong Team Chemistry with Babuta
Valarivan emphasized the importance of her partnership with Babuta, noting that this was their third consecutive appearance as a mixed team and they were defending champions. "When I joined the team, Arjun was already there and winning medals," she recalled. "Over the years, that bond has grown. He was absolutely the best in the second series of shooting in the final. I was glad that he was able to peak when I was stumbling a bit. We were complimenting each other very well."
Babuta's Technical Takeaways and Planned Break
World No. 7 Arjun Babuta, who also won silver in the men's 10m air rifle individual event, shared insights from his performance. "I learned more about my muscle feel and body position," Babuta stated. "I'll implement these learnings in training, and they should help in upcoming trials. That's the key technical takeaway."
Babuta revealed plans to take a two-week break following the Asian Championship due to continuous competition over recent months. "I need to work on recovery a little bit more because I'm continuously playing for the last few months," he explained. "I will take a break for two weeks. It will help me get back to higher scores consistently."
The Indian shooting contingent's success at the Asian Rifle and Pistol Championship highlights their strong form heading into future international competitions, with Valarivan's positive mindset and Babuta's technical focus serving as key factors in their record-breaking performance.
