“I Blacked Out, But I Didn’t Stop”: Sawan Barwal’s Brutal Path to a New National Marathon Record

When Sawan Barwal crossed the finish line in Rotterdam, it was not just the end of a race. It was the end of a wait that had lasted 48 years.

In his very first marathon, Barwal clocked 2:11:58 at the Rotterdam Marathon 2026, finishing 20th and breaking Shivnath Singh's long-standing national record by a narrow margin. A record set in 1978, untouched for nearly half a century, finally gave way.

"I came here fully determined to break the national record. I was targeting a time of around 2:08 to 2:10," Sawan Barwal told myKhel exclusively over the phone.

"I maintained that pace for most of the race, especially until the last 2 kilometers. However, the final stretch was quite windy, and the weather was cold, so I froze a bit towards the end. Otherwise, I would have achieved the time I had planned," he added.

There was no fear in his words, only clarity. Even in a race where things went wrong late, he stayed close to his plan. The National Games 2025 medallist said that he blacked out during the last 2 km but still managed to finish the race.

"Overall, I was running well and was on track for around 2:10. It was just those last 2 kilometers where I struggled. I even poured water on my head, which caused a slight blackout, so we can call those final 2 kilometers bad luck. Otherwise, I would have comfortably finished around 2:10."

What makes this run stand out is not just the record. It is the timing. Barwal had moved to the marathon only five months ago. Before that, he was known for his track results, including a double gold at the National Games and a bronze at the Asian Half Marathon Championships.

"I had planned in 2023 to run a marathon before the Asian Games. I had scheduled it for October, but I got injured and had to cancel the plan. Since then, my target has been to run a marathon, and I've been training for it over the past few months."

That patience is now paying off. Along with Thonakal Gopi, he has already met the Asian Games qualifying mark. "Yes, I will continue running marathons now, and my next target is to compete in the Asian Games 2026."

Last year, Sawan Barwal - who is sponsored by Reliance Sports Foundation, delivered outstanding performances in almost every competition. The Himachal runner won both the 5,000m and 10,000m events at the National Games, breaking the meet records in both races. He also clinched the gold medal in the 10,000m at the Federation Cup.

Barwal finished fourth in the 10,000m at the Asian Championships, missing the bronze medal by 3.71 seconds. India's national record holder, Gulveer Singh, won the event.

Following that, Sawan Barwal also secured podium finishes at the National Open Athletics Championships and a World Continental Tour Bronze meet.

And he has started this year on a strong note as well. The record is gone, and the message is clear, Sawan Barwal is just getting started.