Daijiworld Media Network - Shymkent

Shymkent, Aug 23: India continued its stellar run at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, with Arjun Babuta and Elavenil Valarivan clinching gold in the 10m air rifle mixed team event. The duo overcame a slow start to defeat China’s Dingke Lu and Xinlu Peng 17-11 in a nail-biting final, showcasing calm under pressure and clinical precision in the closing rounds.

For Elavenil, this marks her second gold of the championship. A day earlier, she claimed the women’s 10m air rifle individual title with a superb score of 253.6, edging past China’s Peng Xinlu and Korea’s Kwon Eunji. This victory also marked her first continental title, further solidifying her reputation as one of Asia’s top shooting talents. Having competed at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, Elavenil continues to demonstrate consistency and nerves of steel on the international stage.

Arjun Babuta, too, has been a key figure in India’s shooting success in Shymkent. He was part of the men’s 10m air rifle team—alongside Rudrankksh Patil and Kiran Jadhav—that secured gold earlier in the competition, underlining India’s dominance in the event.

India’s women shooters also added to the medal haul, with Elavenil teaming up with Mehuli Ghosh and Ananya Naidu to take bronze in the women’s team event. Mehuli, competing in the individual final as well, delivered a strong performance, finishing fourth.

With 21 gold, eight silver, and 10 bronze medals so far, India sits firmly at the top of the medal tally. China trails behind with nine golds and a total of 19 medals, reflecting India’s commanding presence at the championship and its growing stature in global shooting sports.