India’s Sawan Barwal created history at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday, winning a silver medal in the men’s marathon final and ending the country’s 44-year wait for a podium finish in the event.
Barwal produced a personal best of 2:11:37 to secure India’s first marathon medal at the Asian Games since the 1982 edition in Delhi.
Japan’s Ichitaka Yamashita claimed the gold medal after clocking 2:10:49, finishing 48 seconds ahead of Barwal. China’s Peiyou Feng completed the podium with a time of 2:12:13 to take bronze.
Sawan Barwal Delivers Historic Marathon Performance
Barwal stayed among the leading runners throughout the gruelling race. Running in mild conditions of around 21 degrees Celsius, with wind and occasional drizzle, the Indian gradually moved into medal contention.
At the halfway mark, Barwal was second with a split of 1:05:54. After the 35km mark, only three runners, including Barwal, remained in the leading group.
Barwal eventually finished second behind Yamashita, producing a personal best while securing a historic silver for India.
“The way I trained, the target was to finish with a medal, not to better my national record. But, it was also a national record. I am very happy to have won a medal for the country, that too after a long time (1982),” Barwal told after the race.
Barwal Breaks Shivnath Singh’s Long-Standing Record
The silver medal comes months after another major achievement in Barwal’s career. In April this year, he broke Shivnath Singh’s 48-year-old national marathon record at the NN Marathon Rotterdam.
“My target was to finish in the first group up to 39-40 km. So, I was in the first group and decided to finish in the last 1-2 km. I tried to stay with the group,” he said.
The Indian also explained how the race unfolded in the closing stages, with the Japanese runner setting a fast pace.
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“In the last 38-37 km, there were just three runners. Around 37 km, the third one (runner) fell behind. I tried to maintain the same pace. So, in the last 39-37 km, the Japanese were ahead. But the pace was fast, so I tried to keep up with my comfortable pace,” Barwal added.
India’s First Marathon Medal Since 1982
Barwal’s silver ended India’s long wait for a marathon medal at the Asian Games. The country had last stood on the podium in the event at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.
Kartik Karkera, the other Indian runner in the final, finished 17th among the 19 competitors.