I relaxed a bit, but gave my best: Elavenil
Shooter Elavenil Valarivan expressed disappointment after losing a gold medal at the Asian Games due to a lapse in focus during the final. Other athletes, including Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa K. Vinod, also reflected on their performances and the need for improved technical focus.
Why it matters
It highlights the psychological and technical challenges faced by elite athletes competing at the international level.
It was not a silver won but a gold lost for Elavenil Valarivan at the Aichi General Shooting Gallery on Sunday, the 27-year-old letting a sure title chance slip away by easing up too early in the final.
The wide smile she had after the event could not hide the ‘what ifs’ running through her mind. “Somewhere I knew I was in the top three and although I was coming back to my process and techniques, I did get a bit relaxed. I really need to work on my [game in] finals. But I think I gave my absolute best,” Elavenil said.
It was a candid admission by someone making her return to the Asian Games after an eight-year break, having missed out on the previous edition.
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