Sawan Barwal created history at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, when he won the silver medal in the men’s marathon, media reports said. This is the first medal for India in Asian Games men’s marathon in 44 years.
Sawan won the silver medal with a new national record timing of two hours, 11 minutes and 37 seconds. He broke his own national record of 2:11:58, which he had set in April 2026 at N N Marathon Rotterdam.
At Nagoya, Sawan finished behind Japan’s Ichitaka Yamashita, who won gold with 2:10:49 finish. Peiyou Feng of China took bronze with 2:12:13 finish.
India’s previous medal in Asian Games men’s marathon came in 1982 when Hosur Kukkappa Seetharan won bronze.
Kartik Karkera, the other Indian runner in men’s marathon, finished 17th in the race.
(Photos downloaded from Meta account of Athletics Federation of India)
