Two-time Olympian Elavenil Valarivan delivered a strong performance to clinch the bronze in Women’s 10m Air Rifle at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday. The 25-year-old led for a significant portion of the high-pressure final before eventually finishing behind China’s teenage sensation Wang Zifei and Olympic champion Kwon Eunji of Korea.
Wang, just 18, captured gold with a commanding score of 252.7, narrowly edging out Kwon, who secured silver with 252.6. Elavenil finished with a final score of 231.2, earning her a well-deserved third-place finish in a tightly contested final.
This marks Elavenil’s third individual World Cup medal, adding to her growing list of international podium finishes that includes gold medals at the ISSF World Cups in Rio de Janeiro in 2019 and 2023.
Earlier in the day, Elavenil had impressed in the qualification round, shooting 635.9 to finish second behind Wang, who set a Qualification World Record with 637.9. Elavenil’s score not only comfortably secured her a place in the final but also earned her a New National Record.
Wang’s gold in Munich adds to her red-hot form this season, as she continues to dominate the international circuit. The victory marks her third World Cup gold of the year, following earlier triumphs in Buenos Aires and Lima. Still only 18, Wang is quickly establishing herself as a dominant force in rifle shooting.
Elavenil began the final in style, firing a 10.7 followed by an even sharper 10.8, immediately putting herself in medal contention. At the halfway stage—after 12 shots—she led the scoreboard with 127.2, narrowly ahead of Wang. But a crucial 9.8 in the closing stages cost her the top spot, dropping her to third as Wang and Kwon closed with precision.
Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad (635.7) and Korea’s Kwon Eunji (635.6) also qualified strongly, underscoring the level of competition in Munich. Among other Indian shooters, Ananya Naidu finished 15th with 632.4, while Ramita Jindal, competing for ranking points only (RPO), placed 13th with 632.6. Meghana Sajjanar (RPO) came 25th, and Arya Borse, in a field of 167 shooters, finished 60th with a score of 628.2.