Editor’s note: Rupinder Singh is writing a daily column for RunBlogRun on Athletics in India. Sayan Barwal twice broke a 2:12:00 record set by Shivnath Singh, 44 years ago. On May 28, 1978, Shivnath Singh set the NR in Jalandhar, in Punjab, India, at the National selection meet. Singh competed in the 1976 Olympics and 1980 Olympics. In the 1976 Montreal Games, Shivnath finished 11th in the marathon, running barefoot and leading the pack from 10k to 20k.
Special update from asian games
Early this morning, Indian Sayan Barwal won a silver medal in the marathon, setting a new national record of 2:11:36. Sayan Barwal made his marathon debut in April 2026 in Rotterdam, breaking a 48-year-old record set in 1978 of 2:12:00 by clocking 2:11:58 in Rotterdam. 2 marathons, 2 national records. Brilliant run. India is coming to the World Athletics level in distance races
Friday report: Barwal sets second NR in Marathon
This Friday, India started the day with a shining silver in the marathon, clocking 2:11:37, a new national record for India. Sawan Barwal has had a dream debut year in the marathon. In his first marathon in Rotterdam in April, Sawan broke a 48-year-old record of Shivnath Singh’s 48-year-old record of 2 hrs 12 min, clocking 2:11:58.
Today in Nagoya, early morning, Yamashita of Japan battled until the 36 km mark, after which a determined Yamashita broke away to claim gold. By then, Sawan Barwal had done enough to ensure a silver medal and another national record to boot. Tejaswin Shankar then began his quest for gold in the decathlon, finishing the day with an impressive 4205 points in pole position and poised for gold on Saturday. In between, Toor missed a hattrick of golds, being beaten to silver by his Iranian opponent and Prachi claimed a bronze in the women’s 400 m
