Himachal Pradesh Army athlete Sawan Barwal ended India’s 44-year wait for an Asian Games marathon medal on Saturday, taking silver in Aichi-Nagoya in a national-record 2:11:37.
National record and historic silver
The 28-year-old finished behind Japan’s Ichitaka Yamashita (2:10:49), with China’s Peiyou Feng third in 2:12:13. Barwal improved his own national record — set in April at Rotterdam, when he became the first Indian under 2:12 and broke Shivnath Singh’s long-standing mark — by about 21 seconds. Kartik Karkera, the other Indian in the 19-man field, finished 17th in 2:22:41.
Medal first, record as bonus
It is India’s first Asian Games marathon medal since H.K. Seetharan’s bronze at New Delhi 1982, and only the fourth in history after Chhota Singh’s gold and Surat Singh Mathur’s bronze at the inaugural 1951 Games. Barwal is also the first Indian to medal in the event outside home soil — a milestone that underlines how rare continental marathon success has been for India.
“The target was to finish with a medal, not to better my national record. But it was also a national record. I am very happy to have won a medal for the country, that too after a long time,” Barwal told PTI after the race. On damp Nagoya streets, Yamashita always held a lead into the stadium roar; Barwal held form and pace to convert training into history.
For a Games programme hunting medals beyond traditional strengths, the marathon silver may prove one of the most memorable of the fortnight. It is proof that Indian distance running can again compete when the course, the clock and the occasion all align — and that patient, paced racing can still rewrite a long 44-year medal drought for India.
Sources: The Hindu; The Indian Express
Related: India kabaddi gold double; India-UK CETA who benefits.
Today’s News 26 Sep 2026 · 10 stories
1Import duty cut on edible oils ahead of festivals — explainedSep 26, 2026
2India–UK CETA in force: who really benefits from the trade dealSep 26, 2026
3Russia–Ukraine aerial war intensifies as drones and missiles hit citiesSep 26, 2026
4Hormuz and Houthi risks explained: what Gulf disruption means for India’s oilSep 26, 2026- 5Iran floats 7-day Hormuz reopen plan; reports say Trump rejected conditional ceasefireSep 26, 2026
6Sawan Barwal wins Asian Games marathon silver — first Indian medal since 1982Sep 26, 2026 · Reading now
7Asian Games: India kabaddi men and women clinch gold double vs IranSep 26, 2026
8Manipur: UNC temporarily lifts highway economic blockade after Assam talksSep 26, 2026- 9Opposition demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar resign amid Form 6 safeguards rowSep 26, 2026
- 10EC orders ECINet voter-roll software review after internal rift over list changesSep 26, 2026
India’s Semiconductor Talent Push Reaches 85,000 Engineers, Minister Says
A minister said 85,000 semiconductor engineers were developed in four years and set a 100,000 target as Semicon 2.0 backs talent development.
Kerala PSC Shortlist 765/2025: 71 Nursery School Teacher Candidates for Idukki
Kerala PSC’s 31 August 2026 shortlist for Idukki covers the Nursery School Teacher exam held on 24 April, with 71 candidates listed.
Budget 2026-27 Sets Out Skilling and Employment Push, Including Rs 9,886 Crore MSDE Allocation
The February 2026 Union Budget reported an Rs 9,886 crore MSDE allocation, an education-to-employment committee, AVGC labs and university townships.
Goyal Backs Better Medical-Device Testing Infrastructure, But Funding Plan Awaits Notification
Piyush Goyal said the government is willing to fund 100% of best testing equipment acquisition for shared facilities, but no implemented scheme…
Piyush Goyal Calls for More Global Investment in India’s Pharma Sector
Piyush Goyal called for global investment in pharma R&D, clinical trials and patenting, plus regulatory convergence and resilient API-KSM supply chains.
Raj Kundra Recalls darkest moment in jail after hearing Shilpa Shetty planned to divorce him; says, “Genuinely felt like suicide kar du”
Businessman-turned-actor Raj Kundra has opened up about one of the most difficult phases of his life, recalling an emotional breakdown he experienced…
Mukesh Khanna calls out Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over Vimal Elaichi ads; demands public apology from them
Mukesh Khanna has spoken out against celebrity endorsements of Vimal Elaichi, calling out Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over…
SCOOP: Police Company shoot halted for 2 hours on Day 1 after FWICE intervention over RGV’s pending dues
Ram Gopal Varma’s Police Company has started filming, but not without an interruption. Bollywood Hungama has learned that the production was halted…
Dhanush’s OM, Vijay Deverakonda’s Ranabaali to Made in Korea: Netflix’s upcoming 15 films and web series
Netflix is strengthening its focus on South Indian storytelling, announcing plans to release an average of one new film every week across…
Neetu David appointed chief scout at UP Warriorz
She takes over from Rajib Dutta and will work with coach Abhishek Nayar
Pretorius, Shamar, batters give Guyana Amazon Warriors second straight win
St Lucia Kings could hardly give a fight after posting a modest 151
Pakistan to host SL for Tests and T20Is, and ODI tri-series with England
This is the second consecutive year that Pakistan will host an ODI triangular series
Vijay Deverakonda shares adorable nap-time moment with parents, gives special pc to Rashmika Mandanna: “Recovery- 1000%”
Vijay Deverakonda gave fans a heartwarming glimpse into his family time after rain disrupted his shooting schedule. The actor took to social…
Divya Dutta and Jimmy Shergill team up for Prem Prakash Modi’s intense family drama Tum Rahe Na Tum
Divya Dutta and Jimmy Shergill are set to share the screen in the upcoming psychological relationship drama Tum Rahe Na Tum, directed…
Stock Market LIVE: Sensex gains 500 pts; Nifty SmallCap rises 1%, outperform large-cap indices – business-standard.com
Stock Market LIVE: Sensex gains 500 pts; Nifty SmallCap rises 1%, outperform large-cap indices business-standard.com Nifty 50, Sensex prediction today: Check how Indian…
‘Kohli was better than Sachin in Tests’: AB de Villiers makes huge claim
In a recent statement, AB de Villiers commended Virat Kohli for taking India's Test batting to new heights on foreign soil, following…
Monty Desai leaves Canada head coach post
Desai had taken over after Canada's match at the T20 World Cup 2026 had come under corruption investigations and Cricket Canada is…
SCOOP: Himesh Reshammiya Melodies on a roll! After Yeh Prem Mol Liya and Gunmaaster G9, label bags music rights of Anil Sharma’s Arjun Naga
In April 2026, Bollywood Hungama was the first to report that Himesh Reshammiya’s music label, Himesh Reshammiya Melodies, had acquired the music…
Photos: Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and others at the Re-release of 1942 – A Love Story
The post Photos: Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and others at the Re-release of 1942 – A Love Story appeared…
Amit Shah chairs Southern Zonal Council meeting in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over a pivotal Southern Zonal Council meeting, gathering representatives from five states alongside…
Lyon survives selection call as Renshaw locked in to open
Jake Weatherald, who had opened with Travis Head in the first Test against Bangladesh, was dropped from the squad prior to the…
Pingback: एशियाई खेल: भारत की पुरुष-महिला काबाड्डी टीमों ने ईरान पर गोल्ड डबल – TrendDesh
Pingback: Asian Games: India kabaddi men and women clinch gold double vs Iran – TrendDesh
Pingback: Asian Games Day 10: Esha Singh Silver, India at 39 | 28 Sep 2026