Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta Script History With World Record Gold in Air Rifle Mixed Team

Arjun Babuta and Elavenil Valarivan established a world record at the Asian Shooting Championships 2026, clinching gold in the 10m air rifle mixed team event at Dr Karni Singh Range.

India’s remarkable performance continued at the 2026 Asian Shooting Championships, achieving records in style.

Arjun Babuta and Elavenil Valarivan shone at the Dr Karni Singh Range in New Delhi on Sunday, securing the 10m air rifle mixed team gold with a new world record score of 505, further enhancing the hosts’ campaign.

The Indian pair was unmatched in the four-team shoot-off final, maintaining their lead throughout and never relinquishing their hold on first place. Their score surpassed the former world record of 502.7, established by Germany’s Hanna Buehlmeyer and Maximilian Ulbrich at the ISSF Grand Prix in Slovenia last month.

Kim Woorim and Kwon Eunji from South Korea won silver with a score of 501, while Japan’s Naoya Okada and Misaki Nobata took home bronze with 437.9.

The record holds more significance, being established under the new ISSF mixed team format, which from January 1, 2026, replaced individual gold and bronze medal matches with a single final featuring four teams – thus making Babuta and Valarivan the pioneers in this new era.

Earlier in the day, the Indian duo had already demonstrated their form by leading qualification with a total of 632.8.

For Babuta, the gold complemented an already remarkable week following his silver in the men’s 10m air rifle, while Valarivan reinforced her supremacy by successfully defending her women’s continental title

India’s second duo — Asian champion Rudrankksh Patil and women’s bronze winner Meghana Sajjanar — placed third in qualification with 629 but were excluded from the medal round because of the one-team-per-nation rule.

The outcome raised India’s total medal count to 12 (seven gold, three silver, two bronze). In another location, double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker is in second place in the women’s 25m pistol qualifiers after the precision segment, with Esha Singh in the lead.

The championships continue until February 13, with competitors from 20 countries — and India is clearly leading the way.

✅FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Who set the world record in the 10m air rifle mixed team event?

Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta of India set the world record.

What was the world record score?

The new world record score is 505.

Where was the record set?

At the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, New Delhi.

Why is this record historic?

It was achieved under the new ISSF mixed team format, introduced in 2026.

Author

Tujja Roy