# Arul Swami
**Arul Swami** (Christopher Sebastian Arul Swami, 18 December 1913 – 23 October 1997) was an Indian long-distance runner who represented India in the men's marathon at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, finishing 37th, and who later worked for more than 40 years as a sports journalist.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Sebastian Arul Swami; used name Arul Swami[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) |
| Born / died | 18 December 1913; 23 October 1997 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) |
| Measurements | 165 cm / 54 kg[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) |
| Olympic result | Marathon, men, 1936 Berlin: 37th of the 42 finishers, in 3:10:44[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) • [2](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/-/14557865) |
| Illness en route | Caught paratyphoid fever in Malta; spent three weeks in a Berlin hospital and lost almost 15 kg before racing[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) |
| Later career | Football referee and sports journalist for more than 40 years; Chief Sports Editor at Indian Express until 1984[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) |
## The 1936 Berlin marathon
Swami's journey to the Games was eventful. He caught paratyphoid fever in Malta, and when he reached Berlin he was carried into the [Olympic Village](https://www.edgepedia.org/olympic-village) on a stretcher and transferred to a hospital, where he spent the next three weeks. Despite losing almost 15 kg, he convinced the doctors to discharge him so that he could compete in the marathon.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451)
The race was held on 9 August 1936 over 42,195 meters (26 miles, 385 yards) on an out-and-back course from the Olympiastadion, with 56 entrants from 27 countries.[3](https://www.olympedia.org/results/58231) Swami finished 37th of the 42 athletes who completed the course, in a time of 3:10:44, before collapsing and being taken back to the hospital. He made a full recovery.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) • [2](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/-/14557865) The race was won by Kitei Son of Japan in 2:29:19.2, an Olympic record.[3](https://www.olympedia.org/results/58231)
## Life after competition
After his running career, Swami became a football referee and worked as a sports journalist for more than 40 years.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451) A 2024 Indian Express column by the sports writer Gulu Ezekiel, author of 17 sports books including *Great Indian Olympians*, noted the newspaper's own Olympic connection through its former sports editor.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/paris-olympics-2024-indian-athletes-a-french-love-story-9476134/)
## Dates and name
Sources disagree on Swami's exact dates. Olympedia gives his birth as 18 December 1913 and his death as 23 October 1997 in [Coimbatore](https://www.edgepedia.org/coimbatore), aged 83 years, 10 months, and 5 days.[1](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451)
## References
1. [Arul Swami, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/71451)
2. [Arul SWAMI, World Athletics profile](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/-/14557865)
3. [Marathon, Men, Berlin 1936, Olympedia](https://www.olympedia.org/results/58231)
4. [Paris Olympics 2024: Indian athletes, a French love story, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/paris-olympics-2024-indian-athletes-a-french-love-story-9476134/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Athletics, gymnastics, and strength sports › Athletes of track and field and road running › Road, marathon, and ultramarathon runners › Early Olympic and pioneering marathoners*
*Initially written Oct 20, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license