India’s Sawan Barwal produced a landmark performance at the Asian Games 2026, clinching the silver medal in the men’s marathon and ending the country’s 44-year wait for a medal in the event.
Barwal, the Indian national record-holder, stayed in medal contention through a tightly contested race in Nagoya before securing second place in the 42.195-kilometre event. His silver is India’s first Asian Games marathon medal since the 1982 edition and the first by an Indian man on foreign soil.
The marathon began at 4 a.m. IST, with Barwal and fellow Indian runner Kartik Karkera among the 19 participants. Barwal remained firmly among the leading group through the early stages before making his presence felt at the front as the race progressed.
At the halfway mark, Barwal was already in second position. He subsequently remained in the medal hunt as the field began to thin out, reaching the 35-kilometre mark in second place with a reported timing of 1:49:29.
With around seven kilometres remaining, Barwal was still in pursuit of Japan’s Ichitaka Yamashita. The Japanese runner eventually established a gap, but Barwal held on to his position through the closing stages. With just a few kilometres left, the Indian was around 26 seconds behind Yamashita but remained comfortably in silver-medal contention.
Barwal’s achievement adds a fourth Asian Games marathon medal to India’s historical tally. Chhota Singh won gold in the inaugural 1951 Asian Games, while Surat Singh Mathur claimed bronze at the same edition. Hosur Kukkappa Seetharan added another bronze at the 1982 Asian Games.
Barwal’s silver now becomes India’s first marathon medal at the continental event in 44 years.
The other Indian in the race, Kartik Karkera, finished 17th after completing the marathon in 2:22:41.
The medal also marks another significant moment for Indian athletics at the 2026 Asian Games, with Barwal converting his national-record credentials into a podium finish on the continental stage.
-IANS
