Indian marathon runner Sawan Barwal delivered a historic performance at the Asian Games 2026, winning the silver medal in the men’s marathon and ending India’s 44-year wait for a podium finish in the event.
Barwal completed the marathon in 2:11:37, recording a personal best and setting a new national record. Japan’s Yamashita claimed the gold medal after breaking away from the leading group in the final stages of the race.
Barwal stays among the leaders
Barwal remained in contention throughout the race. After the opening 10km, he was part of the leading group and continued to push forward as the pace increased.
At the halfway point, he had moved into second place with a time of 1:05:54. He later moved into the lead around the 21km mark and continued to stay with the front runners.
Between the 30km and 35km marks, Barwal remained among the top three along with Japan’s Yamashita and China’s Han.
Silver secured in the final stages
The decisive moment came around the 36km mark when Yamashita opened a gap of around 20 to 30 metres from the chasing group.
Barwal held on to second place and maintained his position until the finish line to secure the silver medal.
His performance marked India’s first Asian Games marathon medal in 44 years and added another significant achievement to the country’s athletics campaign at Aichi-Nagoya.
Karkera finishes 17th
India’s other marathon runner, Kartik Karkera, also competed in the final. He was part of the leading group during the early stages but gradually dropped back as the race progressed.
Karkera eventually finished 17th among 19 runners.
Another national record for Barwal
Barwal’s Asian Games performance comes months after another major achievement. In April, he broke Shivnath Singh’s 48-year-old national marathon record at the NN Marathon Rotterdam.
His latest performance now adds an Asian Games medal to that record-breaking run.
India’s medal tally
With Barwal’s silver, India’s medal tally at the Asian Games 2026 reached 24 medals, including two gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals. Shooting has contributed 10 of those medals so far.
India will also be aiming for gold in kabaddi, with both the men’s and women’s teams set to face Iran in their respective finals. The men’s team will be seeking its ninth Asian Games gold, while the women’s team will be targeting its fourth title.
In badminton, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will begin her women’s singles campaign as India continues its challenge at the Games.
