New Delhi: India’s Arjun Babuta and Elavenil Valarivan added another gold to the hosts’ tally at the Asian Shooting Championships 2026 in New Delhi on Sunday, clinching the 10m air rifle mixed team title with a new world record score.
The Indian pair dominated the final from start to finish, topping the field with a score of 505. The effort surpassed the previous world record of 502.7, set by Germany’s Hanna Buehlmeyer and Maximilian Ulbrich at the ISSF Grand Prix in Slovenia last month.
The achievement came under the revised competition format for the 10m air rifle mixed team event, which came into effect on January 1, 2026. The medal round has been changed to a four-team shootoff, replacing separate gold and bronze medal matches, with records applicable under the new system.
Republic of Korea’s Kim Woorim and Kwon Eunji secured silver with a score of 501, while Japan’s Naoya Okada and Misaki Nobata claimed bronze after finishing with 437.9, according to olympics.com.
Earlier in the competition, Babuta and Valarivan had topped the qualification round with a combined score of 632.8.
Babuta had already won silver in the men’s 10m air rifle earlier in the week, while Valarivan successfully defended her women’s continental title.
Sunday’s gold took India’s medal tally in senior events at the championships to 12, comprising seven gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. The ongoing tournament features only rifle and pistol disciplines.
Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker is currently placed second in the women’s 25m pistol qualifiers after the precision stage, with compatriot Esha Singh leading the standings.
