National Games 2022: Elavenil Valarivan targets consistency at Games ahead of World Championships

Young Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan hopes a strong showing at the National Games 2022 will keep her in good stead ahead of the World Championships.

Elavenil is touted to be the cynosure of all eyes at the National Games 2022 as her consistency on the circuit has made her one of India's top air rifle shooters.

The 23-year-old is confident of doing well at the National Games 2022 and even wants to motivate youngsters to take up the sport.

“My National Games debut will happen at my place (Gujarat) and there is a lot of excitement. I think shooting in front of the home crowd will have a different feel. I must play a big role in motivating local shooters in the National Games. I would like to be in a good frame of mind for the upcoming World Championship with a good showing here."

Elavenil hopes to take National Games 2022 positives into the season

Elavenil, a native of Tamil Nadu and a student of Gagan Narang’s Gun for Glory Academy in Sanskardham, feels the recent renovation of the shooting range in Gujarat will help shooters.

“I think more and more youngsters will take to the sport. The range looks beautiful. I will get the opportunity to shoot here frequently and, hopefully, there will be more big competitions here,” she said.

Read: National Games 2022: Full schedule, list of sports, venues and dates

Elavenil showed promise when she joined Gun for Glory in 2014. The talented shooter announced her arrival on the world stage after winning the silver medal at the 2018 World Junior Championships.

Her big moment came when she won gold at the ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, becoming only the fifth Indian woman to have won a World Cup gold medal in 33 years.

Speaking about her mentor and 2012 Olympic medalist Gagan Narang, Elavenil said she would always grateful to her mentor for inspiring and teaching her the nuances of how to handle pressure.

“He is a role model. I have been inspired by his achievements. What I like about him is his cool demeanor. This is important for any shooter. He always asks us to be cool. Mental toughness is important, particularly in tight situations. Over the years, I have learnt from my mistakes. Self-belief is another key factor."

Though she was disappointed with her performance at the Tokyo Olympics, Elavenil feels the next few years will be very crucial.

“My immediate priority is the upcoming World Championship in Cairo from October 12, 2022. I have been training hard. I am looking at consistency and that is important in the run-up to the Asian Games and Paris Olympics."