Eight Months Pregnant, Meghana Sajjanar Wins Bronze at Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026

India's shooting contingent continued its strong start at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026 in New Delhi, led by a composed title defence from Elavenil Valarivan and an extraordinary bronze medal performance by Meghana Sajjanar, who competed while eight months pregnant.

Elavenil once again underlined her class in the women's 10m air rifle final, shooting a superb 252.0 to clinch the gold medal and retain her continental crown. Behind her, the spotlight shifted to Sajjanar, whose bronze-winning score of 229.5 drew widespread admiration, not just for the result but for the circumstances in which it was achieved. Arya Borse narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth, as India locked out three of the top four places in the final.

Earlier

in the day, Elavenil, Sajjanar, and Borse had already ensured a team gold in qualification, combining for an imposing total of 1892.6. The medals took India's senior tally to six gold medals in the opening phase of the championships, which run from February 2 to 14.

The performance struck a chord beyond the shooting range, with badminton star PV Sindhu publicly applauding her close friend's achievement.

Eight months pregnant and still stepping onto the range to win a bronze medal.

Meghna, my friend, watching you do this fills me with so much respect and admiration. You remind us that strength comes in many forms and that courage and heart always find a way.

Powerful women like… pic.twitter.com/rJFXY8mcNk

- Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) February 7, 2026

"Eight months pregnant and still stepping onto the range to win a bronze medal.

Meghna, my friend, watching you do this fills me with so much respect and admiration. You remind us that strength comes in many forms and that courage and heart always find a way," Sindhu shared on X.

Everything you need to know about Meghana Sajjanar

Sajjanar has long been a steady presence in Indian rifle shooting. She represented India at the Gabala World Cup, where she reached the women's 10m air rifle final and finished fourth.

Her career includes appearances at World Cups in Munich and New Delhi, a sixth-place finish at the Asian Championship in Wako City, and individual silver, along with team gold at the World University Championship in 2018.

She has also been part of India's bronze medal-winning air rifle teams at the 2022 and 2025 World Championships in Cairo, underlining her consistency at the highest level.

Her bronze in New Delhi now stands as one of the most stirring moments of the championship: proof that elite sport, at its best, can still surprise, inspire, and redefine what resilience looks like.