Runner Breaks India's Oldest Athletic Record by 2 Seconds

With 50 meters left in the race, Sawan Barwal's vision went black, but he kept running.

The 28-year-old from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, had one thought pounding through his mind: finish the race and break Shivnath Singh's 48-year-old national marathon record. At the NN Marathon Rotterdam on April 12, Barwal crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 58 seconds, beating the 1978 record by just two seconds.

What makes this feat even more remarkable is that Rotterdam was Barwal's first competitive marathon ever. He had spent years training in the hills near his hometown, competing in shorter 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races before joining the Indian Army through the sports quota in 2019.

In 2021, coaches Scott Simon and Yunus Khan spotted potential in Barwal and convinced him to try marathon running. After just six months of dedicated marathon training in Kannur, Wellington, and Ooty, he traveled to Rotterdam ready to test himself against the clock.

The race didn't go smoothly. Barwal lost his rhythm in the final 150 meters and felt the cold affecting his performance throughout the run. He describes those last moments as a "life-and-death battle," pushing through total exhaustion to honor both himself and the legendary athlete whose record he was chasing.

The Ripple Effect

While Kenya celebrated Sebastian Sawe's historic sub-two-hour marathon just weeks later, Barwal's achievement barely registered in Indian mainstream media. But the quiet soldier isn't dwelling on the lack of recognition.

Instead, he's looking ahead with hope for Indian marathon running. Barwal believes he can break the 2-hour, 8-minute barrier with proper high-altitude training and possibly training camps in Kenya. His coaches agree, seeing even greater potential in their athlete.

What excites Barwal most is watching marathon culture explode across India. Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru marathons now attract 30,000 to 40,000 participants each. Parks everywhere are filled with runners training daily, building a foundation for future champions.

With his sights set on the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Barwal is preparing for his next challenge. But first, he's celebrating another milestone: his wedding on May 4.

The soldier who fought through darkness to break a record that stood for nearly five decades believes India's brightest marathon days are still ahead.