Athletics

Indian long-distance running reached a historic milestone as Sawan Barwal set a new national record at the NN Marathon Rotterdam, clocking 2:11:58 in the men’s marathon. The performance eclipsed the decades-old benchmark of Shivnath Singh, which had stood since 1978. By becoming the first Indian to break the 2:12 barrier, Barwal signaled a transformative shift in India’s endurance running standards. The achievement reflects improved training ecosystems, growing institutional support, and the increasing global competitiveness of Indian athletics.

In a watershed moment for Indian athletics, Sawan Barwal delivered a record-breaking performance at the NN Marathon Rotterdam on April 12, 2026, clocking 2:11:58 in his debut over the 42.195 km distance. The 28-year-old surpassed the longstanding national mark of 2:12:00 set by Shivnath Singh in 1978, ending one of the oldest records in Indian sport. While the improvement was marginal at two seconds, its symbolic weight is profound, reflecting a structural shift in India’s endurance running ecosystem and renewed global competitiveness.

The Indian Athletics Series 2026 kicked off at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium with standout performances across multiple field events. Murali Sreeshankar opened his season emphatically, achieving 8.15m in the men’s long jump on his fourth attempt, surpassing both 8.00m and the Asian Games qualifying mark of 7.91m. Former Asian champion Abdulla Aboobacker claimed the men’s triple jump with 16.82m, while Sarvesh Kushare, a Paris 2024 Olympian, won the men’s high jump at 2.23m. The event highlighted India’s growing strength and depth in athletics.