Indian Shooters Use Neck Pillows and No Phones to Combat Long Bus Ride, Win Two Silvers
· Sports · Indian Express, The Hindu, NDTV Sports
Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod won silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games in Toyota City on September 20, 2026, finishing behind China. Elavenil later added an individual silver, scoring 252.4 points, just 0.6 behind Japan's Taichi Hinata. To combat a two-hour bus ride on winding roads from Nagoya to the shooting range at 670 metres elevation, the team used neck pillows to prevent stiffness and avoided phone screens to reduce motion sickness. Coach Manoj Kumar confirmed the advice to use neck pillows and limit phone use to listening to music only. The medals marked India's opening tally at these Asian Games, demonstrating effective preparation despite travel challenges. Elavenil, who has pre-existing neck issues, followed the guidance seriously to avoid aggravation before competition.
Why it matters
The shooters' success shows how adapting to logistical hurdles like long journeys can directly impact medal outcomes in precision sports. It highlights the importance of holistic athlete preparation beyond technical training, especially for events held in remote venues.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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