Sawan Barwal is an Indian long-distance runner and athlete from Himachal Pradesh who represents the Indian Army. He began his athletic journey during his school days; initially participating in running competitions, he gradually established himself in long-distance events. Over the years, he has competed in 5,000m, 10,000m, half-marathon, and marathon races.
Sawan garnered significant attention in 2026 after breaking the long-standing Indian record for the marathon at the NN Marathon Rotterdam. Later that same year, he won the silver medal in the men’s marathon at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, clocking a time of 2:11:37 and setting a new Indian national record.
Sawan Barwal Bio/Wiki
Sawan Barwal was born on February 18, 1998, in Himachal Pradesh, India. As of 2026, he is 28 years old. He grew up in the Jogindernagar area of Mandi district and developed an interest in sports during his school days. Before focusing on athletics, he played various sports such as badminton, volleyball, kho-kho, and kabaddi.
Initially, Sawan had no intention of becoming a professional marathon runner. He started athletics in school and continued with it after performing well in competitions. His performances at district and state-level events helped him advance in the sport.
He later caught the attention of athletics coach Gopal Thakur, who helped train him as a long-distance runner. Before becoming one of India’s prominent long-distance runners, Sawan participated in various track events.
Sawan Barwal joined the Indian Army in 2019 under the sports quota. Even after joining the Army, he continued to participate in events ranging from track races to long-distance road races. His career has primarily focused on endurance events.
Sawan Barwal Personal Information
| Full Name | Sawan Barwal |
| Known For | Marathon & Long Distance Running |
| Profession | Athlete |
| Date of Birth | 18 February 1998 |
| Age | 28 Years (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Himanchal Pradesh, Indian |
| Hometown | Jogindernagar, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh |
| Qualification | Not Known |
| Height (approx.) | 5’5″ (165 cm) |
| Weight (approx.) | 75-80 Kg |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair color | Black |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Not Known |
| Zodiac Sign | Not Known |
| Hobbies | Running, Sports |
| Net Worth | Not Known |
Also Read: Vedaant Madhavan
Sawan Barwal Career Info
| Sport | Athletics |
| Team | Indian Army |
| Join Indian Army | 2019 |
| Coach | Gopal Thakur |
| Athlete Debut | School-Level Competition |
| Marathon Debut | 2026 |
| Major Achievements | Asian Games 2026 Silver Medal |
Sawan Barwal Family & Relationship
Sawan Barwal is from Himachal Pradesh. His father, Kuldeep Barwal, worked as a driver in Delhi, and his mother’s name is Subhadra Devi. His family supported his interest in sports from the very beginning.
His elder brother was also involved in athletics during his school days, which introduced Sawan to running. Sawan is married to Shabnam Thakur, and the couple got married on 5 May 2026.
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Shabnam Thakur |
| Marriage Date | 5 May 2026 |
| Father | Kuldeep Barwal (Driver) |
| Mother | Subhadra Devi |
| Siblings | Elder Brother (Name Not Known) |
Sawan Barwal Career
Sawan Barwal began his journey in athletics during his school days. He participated in various running events and gradually evolved into a long-distance runner.
In 2022, he won a silver medal in the 10,000m race at the Federation Cup National Championship. Additionally, he secured a bronze medal in the 5,000m race at the National Games held in Gujarat.
In 2023, Sawan Barwal won his first international medal at the Asian Half Marathon Championship in Dubai, where he clinched the bronze with a time of 1:04:30.
The year 2024 marked another significant milestone in his career. He won the 5,000m race at the Federation Cup and clocked a time of 1:02:46 at the New Delhi Half Marathon. This performance set an Indian national record at the time and remains his personal best in the half marathon.
Sawan continued his impressive run in long-distance events in 2025 as well. He won gold medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m races at the National Games and also won the 10,000m race at the Federation Cup.
Sawan Barwal Marathon Career
Sawan Barwal began running marathons after spending the majority of his career competing in track and other long-distance races. He ran his first competitive marathon at the NN Marathon Rotterdam in April 2026.
He finished the race in 2:11:58, breaking the Indian marathon record of 2:12:00—a record held by legendary athlete Shivnath Singh since 1978. This was Sawan’s debut competitive marathon.
This performance also helped him qualify for the 2026 Asian Games.
Sawan Barwal at Asian Games 2026
Sawan Barwal represented India in the men’s marathon at the 2026 Asian Games.
On September 26, 2026, he won the silver medal in the men’s marathon with a time of 2:11:37. During the race, he also improved his own Indian national record.
His performance at the Asian Games marked another significant milestone in his career and earned him his second national marathon record of 2026.
Sawan Barwal Personal Bests
| Event | Personal Best |
| 3,000m | 7:56.24 |
| 5,000m | 13:39.26 |
| 10,000m | 28:49.93 |
| 25 km Road | 1:14:11 |
| Half Marathon | 1:02:46 |
| Marathon | 2:11:37 |
Sawan Barwal Awards & Achievements
- In 2022, Sawan Barwal won the silver medal in the 10,000m race at the Federation Cup National Championships.
- In 2022, he won the bronze medal in the 5,000m race at the National Games held in Gujarat.
- In 2023, he won the bronze medal at the Asian Half Marathon Championships in Dubai with a time of 1:04:30.
- In 2024, he won the 5,000m event at the Federation Cup.
- In 2024, he set the Indian national record for the half marathon at the New Delhi Half Marathon with a time of 1:02:46.
- In 2025, he won gold medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m events at the National Games.
- In 2025, he won the gold medal in the 10,000m race at the Federation Cup.
- In 2026, he broke the Indian marathon record at the NN Marathon Rotterdam with a time of 2:11:58.
- In 2026, he won the silver medal in the men’s marathon at the Asian Games with a time of 2:11:37.
Sawan Barwal Social Media Accounts
| @sawanbarwal | |
| Threads | @sawanbarwal |
Sawan Barwal Interesting Facts
- Sawan Barwal was born on February 18, 1998.
- He hails from Jogindernagar in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
- He played several sports before focusing on athletics.
- He developed an interest in running during his school days.
- Athletics coach Gopal Thakur played a pivotal role in his early development.
- Sawan joined the Indian Army under the sports quota in 2019.
- He won his first international medal at the 2023 Asian Half Marathon Championships.
- He set the Indian half marathon record of 1:02:46 in 2024.
- He made his competitive marathon debut in 2026.
- He broke Shivnath Singh’s 48-year-old Indian marathon record in Rotterdam.
- He won the silver medal in the men’s marathon at the 2026 Asian Games.
- His timing of 2:11:37 at the Asian Games set a new Indian national record for the marathon.
- He has participated in events ranging from the 3,000 meters to the marathon.
