National Current Affairs
Sawan Barwal Breaks 48-Year-Old National Marathon Record
- 17 Apr 2026
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Indian long-distance runner Sawan Barwal broke the 48-year-old national marathon record previously held by Shivnath Singh during the Rotterdam Marathon 2026 in the Netherlands.
Key Points
- Achievement: Sawan Barwal clocked 2 hours 11 minutes 58 seconds at the Rotterdam Marathon, setting a new Indian national record in the marathon event.
- The earlier national record of 2 hours 12 minutes was set by Shivnath Singh at the National Inter-State Championship in Jalandhar in 1978.
- Record Duration: Shivnath Singh’s record had remained unbroken for 48 years, making it one of the longest-standing records in Indian athletics.
- Event: He finished in 20th position in the elite men’s race at the Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands.
- Background:
- Sawan Barwal, aged 28, hails from a village in Joginder Nagar located in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
- He serves in the Indian Army.
- Sawan Barwal won his first national title at the Federation Cup 2024, securing gold in the 5000m event.
- He won gold medals in both the 5000m and 10000m events at the National Games held in Uttarakhand in 2025.
- He also secured gold in the 10000m at the Federation Cup 2025.
| Read More: National Games |
