Sawan Barwal Eyes LA 2028 After Record-Breaking Marathon Debut

The 28-year-old runner from Joginder Nagar in Himachal Pradesh made a sensational debut at the Rotterdam Marathon 2026, clocking 2:11:58 to break the long-standing mark held by Shivnath Singh since 1978.

Reflecting on the moment, Barwal told Olympics.com, "When I crossed the finish line at the Rotterdam Marathon, I honestly wasn't thinking about the record at all. The race had taken everything out of me, especially in the final stretch, so my only focus was to finish. It was only after a few moments that I realised I had broken Shivnath Singh's record. That's when it really hit me - this was something that had stood for 48 years. It felt special, not just personally but for Indian athletics as a whole."

Barwal admitted the closing stages of the race pushed him to his limits and said, "The last couple of kilometres were the toughest part of the race. The cold and wind made it very difficult, especially after I poured water on myself to stay cool. My body started reacting badly, and I did feel dizzy and lost balance a couple of times. But at that point, it becomes more of a mental battle than a physical one. I just kept telling myself that I had come too far to stop. Finishing the race became the only goal, and that mindset helped me push through."

Having competed across distances from 1500m to 5000m earlier in his career, Barwal spoke about the challenge of stepping up to the marathon. "It's not easy at all. The 1500m and even 5000m require speed and explosive strength, while the marathon is all about patience, rhythm, and endurance. The biggest challenge is changing your mindset - you go from thinking in minutes to thinking in hours. Physically, too, the training is very different. Building endurance while maintaining some level of speed is the toughest balance to achieve, and that's something I've worked on over the years," he added.

The move to the marathon, he said, was a gradual process. "The decision came gradually. After competing in track events and longer road races, I felt my strength was more suited to endurance. Over time, with guidance from coaches and my performances in longer distances, the marathon became a natural progression. The record wasn't really on my mind when I made that decision. The focus was more on performing well and improving step by step," Barwal said.

With an eye on the Olympics, Barwal confirmed his long-term focus. "Yes, the marathon will definitely be a major focus going forward, especially with the LA 2028 Olympics in mind. Having started with a good performance, I want to build consistency in this event. At the same time, I'll continue working on all aspects of my fitness so that I can compete at the highest level when it matters most," he said.

Outlining his roadmap, he added, "In the short term, I want to recover well and improve my timing further. In the mid-term, my focus is on performing strongly at major events like the Asian Games and other international races. Long term, the goal is to represent India at the Olympics and aim for a strong finish there. This record is just a starting point - I know there's a lot more to achieve."

Barwal also reflected on the longevity of the previous national record. "I think there are many reasons. Earlier, marathon running in India didn't have the same level of exposure, scientific training, or international competition opportunities that we have now. The record by Shivnath Singh was ahead of its time, and it set a very high benchmark. Today, with better facilities, coaching, and exposure, athletes are able to push those limits further. I'm happy that I could finally break it, and hopefully, it motivates more runners to go even faster in the future," he concluded.

- ANI