Asian Games 2026: Big Shooting Setback for India, Badminton Team Knocked Out

Asian Games 2026 brought a mixed day for India as the country suffered disappointment in both shooting and badminton. While Indian shooters narrowly missed out on another medal in the 10m air rifle mixed team event, the women’s badminton team was knocked out of the competition after losing 1–3 to hosts Japan in the quarterfinal.

India had already enjoyed a strong run in shooting at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, collecting multiple medals. However, the mixed team pairing of Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane could not convert their qualification performance into a podium finish, ending the final in fourth place.

At the same time, expectations were high from the Indian women’s badminton team, led by Olympic medallist PV Sindhu. India entered the quarterfinal after defeating Kazakhstan 3–0 but faced a difficult challenge against Japan.

Shooting Setback for India in Mixed Team Event

The Asian Games 2026 shooting campaign continued with the 10m air rifle mixed team event, where Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane represented India.

The Indian pair had performed strongly in qualification and entered the final with hopes of adding another medal to India’s shooting tally.

However, the duo finished fourth in the medal round with a score of 376.3, narrowly missing the podium.

China’s Wang Zifei and Sheng Lihao claimed the gold medal and also set a world record with 507.1 points. South Korea took silver, while Japan secured bronze.

Despite missing out on a medal in the mixed team event, India’s overall shooting campaign has remained one of the key highlights of the Asian Games. Elavenil had already won medals in the women’s 10m air rifle events, making the mixed team final another significant opportunity for the Indian contingent.

India’s Strong Shooting Campaign Continues
The fourth-place finish will certainly be a disappointment for the Indian duo, particularly after their strong qualification performance. However, the result does not take away from India’s impressive medal haul in shooting.