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Sawan Barwal Shatters 46-Year-Old Marathon Record on Debut in Rotterdam

Sawan Barwal has broken the longest-standing record in Indian athletics, clocking 2:11:58 in his marathon debut at the Rotterdam event. He surpassed the legendary Shivnath Singh's mark of 2:12:00 set in 1978. The 28-year-old army runner, supported by the Reliance Foundation, also achieved the Asian Games qualification standard. His performance is a key milestone under the 'Project 2:09' initiative aimed at breaking the 2:10 marathon barrier for Indian athletes.

Key Points: Sawan Barwal Breaks India's Longest-Standing Athletics Record

  • Broke 46-year-old record on marathon debut
  • Clocked 2:11:58 at Rotterdam Marathon
  • Qualified for 2026 Asian Games
  • Part of Reliance Foundation's Project 2:09
  • Overcame windy conditions and exhaustion
2 min read

On his marathon debut, Sawan Barwal shatters longest-standing national record in Indian athletics

Indian runner Sawan Barwal breaks Shivnath Singh's 46-year-old national marathon record with a time of 2:11:58 on his debut in Rotterdam.

"I was running at a comfortable pace until the 37 km mark. But the last 2km were more challenging... - Sawan Barwal"

Mumbai, April 12

Young distance runner Sawan Barwal shattered the longest-standing record in Indian athletics on his marathon debut, clocking a time of 2:11:58 at the NN Marathon Rotterdam, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Sunday.

The 28-year-old athlete, who is supported by the Reliance Foundation, improved on the long-standing National Record of 2:12:00 set by the legendary Shivnath Singh on May 28, 1978, in Jalandhar.

For Barwal, this was his marathon debut, marking an important milestone in his career. He has now achieved the AFI qualification standard of 2:15:00 for the 2026 Asian Games.

Sawan Barwal ran a steady pace throughout the gruelling marathon distance of 42.195km. But windy conditions in the last 5km of the race took their toll on the Indian runner. "It was pretty cold and windy. I made a mistake of pouring water on my head at the water station," the 28-year-old army runner said from Rotterdam. "I was running at a comfortable pace until the 37 km mark. But the last 2km were more challenging as I had to just plod to cross the finish line."

Sawan Barwal is the fastest of the four athletes who have bettered the Asian Games marathon qualification time of 2:15:04 this year. Kartik Karkera, Gopi T and Man Singh are the other three runners.

Exhausted after his record-breaking efforts, the army runner fell down crossing the finish line. He was taken for medical assistance. "I've recovered and am feeling better," he added.

Experienced marathon runner and Asian champion, Gopi T, was the second Indian runner in the fray. Gopi finished 23rd with a time of 2:13:16. Gopi had come close to breaking the national record last year at the Valencia Marathon in December, but the 37-year-old Army runner had clocked 2:12:23 to narrowly miss the record.

Participation in this marathon was aligned with Project 2:09, Reliance Foundation's high-performance initiative within the Endurance Program, aimed at enabling Indian athletes to break the 2:10 marathon barrier through science-led training, structured international exposure, and race-specific execution strategies, the Reliance Foundation informed in a release on Sunday.

The Rotterdam Marathon serves as a key benchmark competition within the long-term pathway, supporting the broader objective of elevating India's standards in global marathon running. Currently, Sawan Barwal, Gopi Thonakal, and Man Singh are part of this project, with Gopi, Sawan, and Man having already achieved their personal best performances under the initiative.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The fact that he fell down after crossing the finish line shows how much he gave. That's the spirit of a true athlete. Wishing him a speedy recovery and more success. Project 2:09 seems to be working wonders!
P
Priya S
So proud! But also, a small note of caution. We celebrate this win, but the article mentions he poured water on his head in cold, windy conditions. Hope the support team provides better race-day strategy guidance to avoid such rookie mistakes that could have cost him more.
V
Vikram M
Jai Hind! Our army men are making us proud on every front. Subedar Sawan Barwal and Havildar Gopi T - salute to your dedication. This is the result of discipline and hard work. The 2:09 project target now seems achievable.
R
Rohit P
Breaking a record by just 2 seconds shows how tight the margin is at this level. Hats off to the grit. Four Indians qualifying for Asian Games in marathon is itself a huge story. We are building depth.
M
Michael C
As someone who follows global athletics, this is a significant step for India. Rotterdam is a major race. The structured international exposure through Reliance Foundation is clearly paying off. The next target should be a top-10 finish at a World Marathon Major.
K

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