Sawan Barwal Secures Silver in Historic Asian Games Marathon

Sawan Barwal's Historic Marathon Silver

Indian marathon athlete Sawan Barwal made history at the 2026 Asian Games by clinching a silver medal in the men's marathon, marking India's first podium finish in this event in 44 years.

Barwal achieved a personal best time of 2:11:37, which also set a new national record during the marathon final. He finished second to Japan's Yamashita, who took home the gold after a strong finish.

Throughout the race, Barwal demonstrated remarkable endurance, staying among the top competitors after the 10km mark. He took the lead at the 21km point and maintained his position as the pace quickened.

SILVER! SAWAN BARWAL MAKES HISTORY! Men's marathon #AsianGames2026 ⏱️ 2:11:37, a PERSONAL BEST and a NEW NATIONAL RECORD ✅ India's first Asian Games marathon medal in 44 years. He led from 10 km to 35 km and held on for silver behind Japan's Yamashita over the last…

Between the 30km and 35km marks, Barwal remained in contention alongside Yamashita and China's Han, forming the leading trio.

At the 36km mark, Yamashita managed to create a gap of 20-30 meters over the chasing pack, while Barwal continued to perform strongly, securing his silver medal until the end.

This silver medal is a significant milestone for India, being the first in the marathon category at the Asian Games in over four decades. Barwal's achievement adds to India's athletics success at Aichi-Nagoya.

Kartik Karkera, another Indian runner, also participated in the men's marathon final but fell behind after a strong start.

To date, India has amassed a total of 24 medals at the Asian Games, including two gold, ten silver, and twelve bronze, with a notable ten medals coming from shooting.

India's Upcoming Key Events

Looking ahead, India's men's and women's kabaddi teams are set to compete for gold medals, while two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will kick off her singles campaign in badminton during the key events at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday.

Kabaddi Teams Eye Gold

Both Indian kabaddi teams will face off against Iran in their respective gold medal matches at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium. The women's final is scheduled for the morning, followed by the men's final in the afternoon. The men's team aims for their ninth Asian Games gold, while the women's team seeks their fourth title.

PV Sindhu Leads Badminton Campaign

In badminton, PV Sindhu will commence her women's singles journey, leading India's efforts after the unexpected exit of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty from the men's doubles event.