National Shooting Selection Trials: Elavenil Valarivan Sets New Record

Elavenil Valarivan sets new record at National Shooting Selection Trials: World No.1 Elavenil Valarivan fired up and shot a score of 253 at the finals of National Shooting Selection Trials, to claim the top honours in the women’s air rifle category on February 11. In doing so she has set a new world record.

World #1 #TOPSAthlete @elavalarivan shot 253, 0.1 points over the world record in women’s 10m air rifle final at the National Shooting Trials #3 being held in Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. pic.twitter.com/gLumZPSuxG

— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) February 11, 2021

The shooting star also broke the past finals world record score set by compatriot Apurvi Chandela to win the women's 10m air rifle competition in the third national selection trials on February 11. 22-year-old Valarivan's final score was 253 while Tokyo Olympics quota holder, Jaipur’s 28-year-old Chandela managed 252.9 in an ISSF Word Cup, two years ago. This time, Chandela failed to make it to the final.

Valarivan had earlier topped qualification with 631.6., marking 0.3 point ahead of Olympian Ayonika Paul who was eventually placed seventh.

Elavenil Valarivan is the gold medallist in the 10m air rifle for women category in the World Cup and the World Cup finals in 2019: Elavenil Valarivan sets new record at National Shooting Selection Trials

On Thursday, in the other events of the day, two more Olympic quota winners won their respective trials. The postponed Games are scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo.

Manu Bhaker, the present world number two in the event, won the women's 10m air pistol trials and topped qualification with a score of 584. She then won the finals with a score of 243.7 after 24-shots.

Elavenil Valarivan's achievements so far

The Ahmadabad-based shooter began her journey in 2013 when her father, scientist Valarivan Rudrapati, took her to the Ahmadabad Military and Rifle Training Club to meet one of his students. She was just 13 back then. 

Elavenil Valarivan held her first rifle in 2016 and stepped into the spotlight when she participated in Indian junior team, winning the gold medal at the Junior World Cup in Sydney in March in 2017. 

Career milestones:

• Valarivan won her maiden gold medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle event at the senior ISSF World Cup in August in 2019. She was only the third Indian shooter after Apurvi Chandela and Anjali Bhagwat to win a gold medal at the event. The same year, she won another gold at the ISSF World Cup in Putian, China, 
• She created history in2018 by clinching gold in the women’s 10m Air Rifle event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney. She became world champion at the ISSF Munich World Cup, and claimed a silver medal at the Changwon World Cup as well.
• In 2017, she topped the selection trials with a world record-equalling score of 252.1. She edged past Rio Olympian Ayonika Paul and Elizabeth Koshie. The same year, Valarivan became the 10m air rifle champion at the senior Nationals in Kerala with a score of 250.6 in the final.
• She broke the previous record held by fellow Indian shooter Mehuli Ghosh. This was her first participation in the finals. Valarivan knocked out shooters from Chinese Taipei and China and claimed gold with 249.8 points.
• She came 28th in Junior World Championship in Suhl in 2017.
• She trains at Olympic medallist Gagan Narang’s Gun For Glory Academy. 
• Valarivan will soon join the second national camp for Olympic probables in New Delhi from November 18.

Feature Image Credit: Deccan Chronicle