Army havildar Sawan Barwal achieved a remarkable feat at the NN Marathon Rotterdam, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race held on Sunday. The 28-year-old athlete from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, completed the marathon in a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 58 seconds, thus surpassing the long-standing record of 2:12:00 established by Shivnath Singh in 1978.
This achievement marks the breaking of India’s oldest athletics record, with Barwal making his marathon debut. Although he is recognized as India’s top half-marathon runner, he faced challenges during the race due to a cold wind in the Dutch city, which he was not accustomed to. As he approached the finish line, Barwal experienced two brief moments of faintness with only 20 meters remaining in the 41.195-kilometer race. His impressive time also secured him a place in this year’s Asian Games. He finished in 20th position, while his fellow Indian runner T Gopi came in three places behind with a time of 2:13:16. The race was won by Ethiopia’s Guye Idemo Adola, the 2021 Berlin Marathon champion, who clocked in at 2:03:54.
Reflecting on his performance, Barwal shared, “Before the marathon, my goal was to achieve a time of 2:09:00, so breaking the national record was certainly on my mind. The course was flat, but after the 35-kilometer mark, a cold wind started to blow. In the final 2 kilometers, I felt like my head was frozen due to the breeze. I tried to cool myself by pouring water on my head, a common practice among marathon runners, but the wind was stronger than expected. I stumbled twice with just 20 meters to go, affected by the cold, but I managed to regain my balance and finish the race. A volunteer assisted me at the finish line, helping me back on my feet,” he explained to The Indian Express from Rotterdam.
Barwal, who is the son of a taxi driver, is currently stationed in Dehradun and is affiliated with the Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune. He is also a vital member of the Reliance Foundation’s Project 2:09, which aims to support Indian runners in achieving a marathon time of under 2 hours and 9 minutes.
Ajith Markose, Barwal’s coach, commended his perseverance towards the end of the race. “The weather was quite favorable today, starting at around 14 degrees Celsius and rising to approximately 22 degrees. However, strong winds picked up towards the end of the marathon. Until the 40-kilometer mark, he was on pace for a potential finish time of 2:09:14. Unfortunately, his speed decreased in the final two kilometers due to the cold wind. Had he finished strongly, he might have achieved 2:09 today,” said Markose, who is at the forefront of Project 2:09.
To be included in Markose’s training group, athletes must be national medalists, and four years ago, Barwal was still establishing his presence. However, during a V02 Max test at a selection trial, he excelled, demonstrating exceptional aerobic fitness. “His VO2 Max was impressively high at 79 ml per kg of body weight, nearing the elite marathoner benchmark of over 80. We initially trained him in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter categories, and he later moved up to the half marathon, where he currently holds the national record,” Markose elaborated.
Barwal’s marathon debut was initially planned for earlier this year at the Valencia marathon, but he suffered an injury from a fall. Nevertheless, he has made a successful return. Now, Barwal is optimistic about improving his performance further, aiming for a sub-2:09 marathon time.
“I feel a surge of confidence after breaking the national record under challenging conditions. I am grateful to the AFI, ASI, and Reliance for their support. With the previous record of 2:12:00 (held by Singh) no longer looming over me, I believe not only I but other marathon runners in India will be inspired to continue breaking records,” Barwal concluded.
Nihal Koshie serves as an Associate Editor and sports journalist at The Indian Express, noted for his comprehensive reporting and investigative pieces that delve into the intersection of sports and social issues. He is a vital part of the sports desk located at The Indian Express’ Noida office.
Career Overview: Associate Editor (Sports) at The Indian Express.
Notable Accomplishments: Koshie is a two-time recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. He earned the RNG award for ‘Sports Journalism’ in 2019 for his exclusive coverage and follow-up stories on sprinter Dutee Chand, who became the first Indian athlete to publicly disclose her same-sex relationship. He received his second RNG award in 2023 for his investigative reporting on the allegations of sexual harassment against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by leading women wrestlers in the country.
Specialization: Koshie covers a range of sports, with a particular emphasis on athletics, investigative journalism, and long-form news features.
Recent Work Highlights (Late 2025): Koshie’s articles demonstrate a focus on investigative narratives and human-interest stories.
Recent Investigative Highlights: He recently profiled an Indian teenager serving time in a Kenyan prison over a doping scandal linked to his Olympic aspirations.
Wrestling Coverage: Koshie continues to monitor the political and social repercussions of the recent Indian wrestling protests, including the public appearances of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s political journey.
Recent Long-Form Features: His recent pieces include the story of Kranti Gaud, a young fast bowler who played a pivotal role in the ICC women’s World Cup-winning team, and an exploration of the physics behind modern cricket bats.
Podcast Involvement: Koshie contributes to the “Game Time” podcast by The Indian Express, where he provides analysis on current sporting events from both technical and social perspectives.
Experience: Over 24 years in journalism.
Prior Roles: Worked at Times of India (2001-2005) and Daily News and Analysis (2005-2010). Koshie joined The Indian Express in May 2010.
Social Media: Follow Koshie on X (formerly Twitter) at @nkoshie for updates on his latest work and access to his full archive through his official author profile.
