Overview
- Barwal, who raced Sunday in Rotterdam, clocked 2:11:58 to break Shivnath Singh’s 1978 Indian record of 2:12:00.
- He placed 20th in a World Athletics Gold Label field, with compatriot T Gopi crossing in 2:13:16.
- Cold headwind in the last kilometres left him woozy after he poured water on his head, and he twice fell near the finish before receiving medical help and recovering.
- The 2:11:58 meets the Athletics Federation of India’s 2:15:04 Asian Games standard, and he and coach Ajith Markose say the goal now is a sub‑2:09 run after holding 2:09 pace to 40 km.
- Reports describe him as an Army havildar attached to the Army Sports Institute and part of Reliance Foundation’s Project 2:09, though one outlet credits coach Gopal Thakur.