The 25-year-old was cruising smoothly toward the gold medal but stumbled in the final moments, settling for bronze. Managing pressure in high-stakes situations remains crucial for Elavenil to fully realise her potential on the world stage

Elavenil Valaravin (right) on the podium at the ISSF Munich World Cup. Pic: NRAI

Our Correspondent

Elavenil Valarivan has been competing at the highest level long enough to manage the pressure of a big final. Yet, in elite competitions, a single decisive moment can undo all the hard work. That’s exactly what happened during the 10m air rifle final at the ISSF Munich World Cup on Tuesday. Elavenil was leading comfortably when nerves got the better of her in the final moment.

A 9.8 in her 21st shot dropped her to third place, and despite a strong 10.6 in her next shot she was just 0.2 points Korea’s Eunji Kwon and had to exit with a bronze medal. China’s Wang Zifei (252.7) took gold, and Kwon (252.6) claimed silver in the thrilling 24-shot final

With the gold slipping out of her grasp, Elavenil (231.2 points) walked off visibly disappointed.

However, she quickly regained her composure. Winning her first individual medal in the prestigious ISSF Munich World Cup was a proud moment for the 25-year-old. The fact that it came in a high-quality field—featuring Paris Olympics champion Ban Hyojin (Korea), World Champion Han Jiayu (China), and Olympic silver medallist Jeanette Hegg Duestad (Norway)—will surely boost her confidence.

Not to be overlooked was China’s 18-year-old shooting prodigy Wang Zifei, who shattered the world record in qualification with a sensational 637.9 points, also setting a new junior world record. The previous mark (636.9) belonged to Germany’s Anna Janssen, set at the 2023 New Delhi World Cup Finals.

“It was a really good competition—quite intense. It’s good to get a chance to compete among the world’s best,” Elavenil said after the event.

“I think it was a good learning experience for me. I’ve been trying out a lot of things in my shooting, and I think it’s working. I also wanted this for my brother, who is getting married soon. This medal is dedicated to him,” she added.

Time to step up at world stage

Elavenil first rose to prominence in 2018–19 with strong performances at the junior international level, including a silver at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Changwon and three individual junior World Cup titles. Her breakthrough at the senior level came in 2019 with a gold at the Rio World Cup. She rose to the top of the world rankings in the 10m air rifle.

She has maintained consistent domestic performances, staying ahead of strong competition at home. Though she did not secure quota places for the Tokyo or Paris Olympics, she topped the domestic selection process. Now, it’s time for her to deliver in major international competitions. Munich was a promising start, and earning a medal in such a competitive field should stand her in good stead. This was her third individual ISSF World Cup title, with the previous two coming in Rio—in 2019 and 2023.

On Tuesday, Elavenil gave a stiff challenge to the 18-year-old Zifei, who is on a remarkable run this season, having completed a hat-trick of World Cup titles with previous wins in Buenos Aires and Lima.

In qualification, Elavenil finished second with a score of 635.9—a new national record. In the final, she started strong and stayed in the top three alongside Zifei and Eunji. As the match progressed, the lead kept shifting. After the 18th shot, Elavenil was ahead with 189.8 points, leading Zifei by 0.3 and Eunji by 0.6. She kept the lead after 20 shots (210.8), with Zifei at 210.6 and Eunji at 210.3. But with four shots remaining, a costly 9.8 undid all her good work. Zifei capitalized with a stunning 10.9 on her 22nd shot to seize the lead.

That’s the harsh reality of elite shooting—one lapse can change everything.

Elavenil faced a similar heartbreak at the Paris Olympics qualification event, where she was within reach of a finals berth. But a poor final series (103.6) saw her finish 10th, missing the cut by just two spots. Her performance in Munich was a reminder of her immense talent—but also of the fine margins that define success at the highest level. She has shown she can match the best in the world, but to consistently convert opportunities into top podium finishes, she will need to steady her nerves in the pressure moments. Learning to close out big finals could be the key to unlocking her full potential on the world stage.