Joginder nagar

Delhi Half Marathon: India’s emerging long-distance runner Sawan Barwal shared his thoughts on his groundbreaking marathon debut, describing it as a milestone of personal and national pride after he set a new record at the 2026 Rotterdam Marathon.

Hailing from the hills of Joginder Nagar in Himachal Pradesh, Barwal clocked 2:11:58 in his first full marathon, breaking a 48-year-old national record set by Shivnath Singh in 1978. The achievement marked a major milestone for Indian athletics, ending one of its longest-standing records.

Recalling the moment he crossed the finish line, Barwal admitted that the magnitude of his feat did not immediately sink in. “When I crossed the finish line at the Rotterdam Marathon, I honestly wasn’t thinking about the record at all. The race had taken everything out of me, especially in the final stretch, so my only focus was to finish,” Barwal told Olympics.com.