Asian Games: Sawan Barwal in medal contention in marathon running

Sep 26, 2026 06: 10 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

Key points

• India's Dhiraj Bommadevara, Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge and Neeraj Chauhan are competing in the Qualification Round of Archery Recurve Men's Team.
• Ranked 2 at 15 km mark: 47: 35 secs (+0: 01 seconds behind lead runner).
• Ranked 8 at 5 km mark: 15: 29 seconds (+0: 02 seconds behind lead runner).
• Karthik Karkera is +0: 02 behind Peng with 15: 29 secs.
• While we watch the marathon race playing out in Japan's Nagoya, here's a wonderful piece from Sriram Veera on Japan's love for long-distance running.

Meanwhile, the stadium comes into view, and that means one thing, the finish line is near. Sawan Barwal is in silver medal contention for now. The Japanese home runner, Yamashita, is going to run away with gold medal! Sep 26, 2026 06: 08 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

Here's a look at the man in the gold medal contention, Japan's Yamashita. He's had a unique idea of putting gold and silver tinsel hooks around his water bottles so that he can pick out them from the hydration points.

Now Barwal has dropped regarding 26 seconds behind Yamashita, but is still in silver medal contention. Sep 26, 2026 06: 05 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

Sawan Barwal is now in silver medal contention behind Japan's Yamashita! Just regarding 3 kilometers to go for the finish line! He's unlikely to overtake the Japanese runner, but is in striking distance for a gold medal in case the Japanese starts to struggle around the finish line.

For context, a rare marathon medal in the Asian Games for India, if it happens. Sep 26, 2026 05: 48 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

For context, the lead runners' pack has now thinned to two runners, one of them is India's Sawan Barwal. This person is just on the shoulder of North Korea's Han Il Ryong.

We have just eight kilometres left for the marathon finish line to appear. And an Indian marathoner is in medal contention! Sep 26, 2026 05: 28 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

In case you are wondering if marathon runners drink and eat on the go when running for two hours at a stretch, the answer is yes!

How? Hydration stations and consumable bars, and bottles with flashy ribbons that can be picked up while on the run without stopping. Sep 26, 2026 05: 25 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

Written before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Veera wrote: "Japan is the most running obsessed nation on the planet with a particular emphasis on long-distance races that are insanely popular. This year, over half of Japan's population, almost 65 million individuals, watched the men's two-day road relay between universities in the Kanto region of Japan – the famous Hakone Ekiden, run over 165 miles."

In practice, the piece additionally introduced us to Kokichi Tsuburaya, the marathon runner who won the bronze in the 1964 Olympics, and who not long after committed suicide, clutching his bronze medal. Sep 26, 2026 05: 11 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

India's Sawan Barwal is leading the pack now! Just as we were regarding to come to the half marathon distance in the race, Feng. This person was the man pushing the accelerator, decides he's done enough of the race-leading and slows down. And we have the strange spectre of six runners running side by side, none of them wanting to lead. Finally, India's Sawan Barwal decides he wants to lead the race and takes charge. The rest of them are happy to follow. Nice crowd in Nagoya to watch the marathon!

Feng's break has split the bunched-up lead pack into three groups now. India's Sawan Barwal is in the lead pack behind China's breakaway leader Feng. Feng's compatriot, Jia, has dropped off now, struggling to keep pace.

Additionally struggling to keep pace is India's other runner Karthik Karkera, who's last in the pack from the look of things. Sep 26, 2026 04: 55 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

China create their move! Peiyou Peng makes a break and along follows compatriot Erenjia Jia. They try to speed away from the rest of the chasing pack, and only India's Sawan Barwal decides he wants to try and chase them down! Is that prudent? Sep 26, 2026 04: 53 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

Long way to go in the race, but India's Karthik Karkera is in second spot in the men's marathon. Here are his split times at 5 kilometer intervals.

Ranked 2 at 15 km mark: 47: 35 secs (+0: 01 seconds behind lead runner). Sep 26, 2026 04: 49 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Archery update.

India's Dhiraj Bommadevara, Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge and Neeraj Chauhan are competing in the Qualification Round of Archery Recurve Men's Team. Sep 26, 2026 04: 45 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

Straight as an arrow. The runner have just sped past the Mirai Tower for the second time in the marathon. You can see the two Indians there, Sawan and Karthik.

13 kilometeres done. The marathoners have been at it for regarding 42 minutes. Sep 26, 2026 04: 32 AM IST. Asian Games 2026, Day 8 Live: Athletics update.

After the first five kilometers, India's Sawan Barmal is in the lead pack of six runners with a split timing of 15.28 secs, +0: 01 seconds behind China's Feng Peiyou, the sole leader, in the men's marathon. Meanwhile, Karthik Karkera is +0: 02 behind Peng with 15: 29 secs. Sep 26, 2026 04: 12 AM IST.

Good morning sports fans! It's an early start to the day for the Indian contingent — and consequently for us — as the marathoners hit the streets while the archers enter the fray in qualification events. Grab a coffee and stay with us for live updates from day 8 of the Asian Games.

In short, asian Games: Sawan Barwal in medal contention in marathon running is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.