Nagoya (Japan): The pressure was on Elavenil Valarivan to break the jinx in multi-discipline events.
A two-time Olympian, the 27-year-old shooter had competed in the 2018 Asian Games too, but a medal had eluded her.
On Sunday, the shooter from Tamil Nadu was the proud recipient of not one, but two silver medals at the Aich-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.
Elavenil shot 252.4 in the final of the Women’s 10m Air Rifle individual event at Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery to finish second. Home favourite Hinata Taichi took gold with a Games record score of 253.0.
In the team event earlier in the day, Elavenil, Sonam and Vidarsa Vinod combined for a score of 1898.0 to open India’s medal count with a silver. Sonam contributed 634.1, Elavenil shot 633.5 and Vidarsa 630.4 added to India’s tally.
They were denied top-of-podium finish by a red-hot Chinese team which clinched gold with a world record score of 1904.2.
Shafali Verma hits 49-ball century
In Women’s Cricket, India moved a step close to retaining their Asian Games gold medal after outplaying Bangladesh to enter the final.
Opener Shafali Verma hit a blazing unbeaten century to fire India to a 114-run win that set them up for a title clash with Sri Lanka, who overcame Pakistan in the other semifinal.
Shafali reached three figures in 49 deliveries to become the first female cricketer to register a century in Asian Games.
After India piled up 195/4 in 20 overs, Bangladesh were skittled out for 81 in 15.4 overs. Deepti Sharma (3/7) and Nandani Sharma (3/25) were the chief destroyers.
Odisha’s Shilanand nets brace, Deepika’s 8-goal blitz
In hockey, the men and women started their respective campaigns with a flurry of goals.
The men thrashed Indonesia 13-1 in Pool A action, while the women walloped Uzbekistan 19-0.
Odisha forward Shilanand Lakra opened the floodgates in the sixth minute, and got a second five minutes after half-time.
Dilpreet Singh netted four times (18’, 19’, 37’, 49’) and Sukhjeet Singh scored two (38’, 48’). Harmanpreet Singh, Rajinder Singh, Mandeep Singh, Jugraj Singh and Abhishek also got their names on the scoresheet.
The Indian women showed no mercy to hapless Uzbekistan, crossing the three-dozen mark in Pool B.
Leading the charge was Deepika Sehrawat, who alone accounted for 8 of the 19 goals.
Ishika scored 3, Navneet Kaur and Lalthantluangi 2 each, while Lalremsiami Hmarzote, Baljeet Kaur, Neha and Sakshi Rana netted one apiece.
