Sawan Barwal qualifies for Asian Athletics Championships with a gold in men's 10000m at National Games 2025

Long-distance runner Sawan Barwal has officially booked his place at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025, set to take place in Gumi, South Korea, from May 27 to 31. The Himachal Pradesh athlete secured his qualification with a gold medal-winning performance in the men’s 10,000m event on Saturday (February 8) at the National Games 2025, currently being held at the Ganga Athletics Ground, MPSC, Uttarakhand.

Barwal put up a commanding performance in the final, crossing the finish line with a time of 28:49.93, which was well inside the Asian Athletics Championships qualification mark of 29:33.26. His strong showing ensured a comfortable victory as he finished nearly 15 seconds ahead of his closest competitor.

The silver medal in the event went to Kiran Matre of Maharashtra, who clocked 29:04.76, while Vinod Singh of Madhya Pradesh took the bronze with a time of 29:43.60.

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Sawan Barwal breaks meet record and betters personal best

Sawan Barwal’s performance at the National Games 2025 was not only a gold-medal winning effort but also a record-breaking one. He bettered his personal best of 28:51.88, which he had previously set in May 2024 at the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London.

His timing of 28:49.93 at the National Games set a new meet record for the event, highlighting his impressive form and consistency. However, he remains some distance away from the national record of 27:14.88, which was set by Gulveer Singh at the Hachioji Long Distance 2024 meet in Japan.

Barwal’s qualification for the Asian Athletics Championships marks a significant milestone in his career, as he now prepares to compete against the best runners from the continent in South Korea. His recent performance suggests he is in top form, and his focus will now be on further lowering his timing and making an impact on the international stage.