Bengaluru, April 29 -- "No one believed we could go under 2 hours and 12 minutes, but I did," said Indian marathon runner Sawan Barwal, reflecting on his record-breaking Rotterdam run as he set his sights firmly on the upcoming Asian Games.
Speaking at the "Beyond the Finish Line" session during the race week of TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2026, Barwal said self-belief and scientific training had transformed his approach to long-distance running and helped him achieve a milestone many once considered beyond reach for Indian athletes.
"Probably the way we train now is far more scientific but more importantly, maybe no one believed that they could run faster than 2 hours and 12 minutes. Everything comes down to self-belief," Barwal said.
The A...