Despite competing in the company of two of the world’s best shooters Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela, the young Elavenil Valarivan was able to close the season as the World No.1 in women’s air rifle.
She will be given the Golden Target award by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in Munich, Germany, on December 7.
The Golden Target is the award given by the ISSF as a “tribute to the best athletes of the year according to the annual ranking in each of the individual Olympic events”.
Air rifle shooter Divyansh Singh Panwar and air pistol prodigy Saurabh Chaudhary will also receive the award as the World No. 1 for the season in their events.
Great finish
The 20-year-old Elavenil had wound up the season in brilliant fashion by winning gold in the World Cup final in China. She had earlier won the gold in the World Cup in Rio and was placed fourth in the World Cup in Munich.
The 17-year-old Divyansh won two gold medals in the World Cups in Beijing and Munich, which also fetched him the Olympic quota. He closed the season with gold in the World Cup final in Putian, China, in both men’s air rifle and the mixed air rifle.
Saurabh Chaudhary did not win the individual medal in the World Cup in China, but had won two gold medals in Delhi and Beijing, apart from the bronze in Rio. Saurabh who won the Olympic quota in Delhi in the first World Cup of the season, had also swept all the four World Cup gold medals in mixed air pistol with Manu Bhaker.
Interestingly, India had won three of the No.1 spots in the 12 events, the best by any country. This was the icing on the cake for Indian shooting, which had topped the medals table in each of the four World Cups for rifle and pistol in Delhi, Beijing, Munich and Rio, apart from the World Cup final in Putian, China.
