Indian Army soldier Sawan Barwal created history in Asian Games, ended 44 years of marathon drought

The beginning of the Asian Games 2026 being held in Aichi Nagoya, Japan on 26th September was quite historic for India, in which Indian Army soldier Sawan Barwal won the silver medal in the marathon. Sawan also created a new national record by winning the silver medal in the men’s marathon. Apart from this, it is the first medal for India in the men’s marathon event in the Asian Games after 44 years. India last won a medal in the marathon in the Asian Games in the year 1982. Barwal, a 28-year-old Army player, completed the 42.195 kilometer marathon in two hours 11 minutes 37 seconds and won the silver medal.

Sawan missed winning gold by just 48 seconds

While Sawan Barwal won the silver medal in the marathon event, the gold medal in this event was won by Ichitaka Yamashita of Japan, who completed the marathon 48 seconds before Sawan, while Peiyu Feng of China stood third with a time of two hours, 12 minutes and 13 seconds. Earlier in the marathon in the Asian Games in 1982 in Delhi, Hosur Kukkappa Sitaran had given India a bronze medal. Barwal also became the fourth Indian to win a medal in the marathon at the Asian Games. Earlier, in the first Asian Games in Delhi in 1951, Chhota Singh had won gold medal and Surat Singh Mathur had won bronze medal. Barwal made his marathon debut this year after running 5000 meters, 10000 meters and half marathon. In April, Barwal broke Shivnath Singh’s 48-year-old national record of 2 hours 11 minutes 58 seconds in the NN Marathon in Rotterdam.

my goal was to win a medal

While Sawan Barwal expressed her happiness after winning the silver medal, she said that my aim was to win the medal, not to improve my record, but this is also a national record. I am happy that I could win a medal for the country after such a long time. My target was to remain in the first group till 39.40 km. I stayed in the first group and decided to finish in the last one or two kilometers. In the end there were only three runners in 38.37 kilometers. I tried to maintain a steady pace. Barwal, from Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, father worked as a driver in Delhi and mother Subhadra Devi is a housewife. Sunil Barwal joined the Indian Army along with his brother from sports quota in the year 2019.

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