Avinash Sable Makes History, Qualifies for Olympic 3000m Steeplechase Final
Indian Steeplechaser Makes Olympic Debut in Final
- Avinash Sable becomes the first Indian man to qualify for the 3000m steeplechase final at the Paris Olympics.
- He finished fifth in his heat with a time of 8:15.43, securing a spot among the top five qualifiers.
- The final will be held on August 8th at the Stade de France.
Strategic Race Leads Sable to Qualification
- Sable took the early lead and maintained it for the first half of the race.
- He faced challenges from other competitors but strategically adjusted his pace.
- Despite a slower time than his personal best, Sable secured qualification for the final.
Background: A Seasoned Runner with Olympic Ambitions
- Sable is the current Indian national record holder in the 3000m steeplechase.
- He previously missed Olympic qualification in Tokyo but held the fastest non-qualifying time.
- Sable met the direct entry standard for Paris 2024 with a qualifying run in 2023.
Looking Ahead: A Competitive Final Awaits
- Sable faces strong competition in the final, with the fastest qualifiers coming from the second heat.
- His experience and strategic approach will be crucial in the final race.
“Champions Unveiled: India’s Olympic Contenders for Paris 2024”-Part 4
Avinash Sable -3000m steeplechase
Avinash Mukund Sable: Profile of an Olympic Steeplechase Runner
Avinash Mukund Sable is an impressive Indian track and field athlete specializing in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He holds the national record of 8:09.91, set at the 2024 Paris Diamond League. This remarkable achievement marked the 10th time he had broken the national record.
Full Name: Avinash Mukund Sable
Date of Birth: 13 September 1994 (age 29)
Birthplace: Mandwa, Beed district, Maharashtra, India
Military Career
- Allegiance: India
- Service/Branch: Indian Army
- Rank: Naib Subedar
- Unit: Mahar Regiment
Athletic Career
- Sport: Track and Field
- Event: 3000 Metres Steeplechase
Early Life of Avinash Mukund Sable
Avinash Mukund Sable was born on 13 September 1994 in Mandwa, Tq. Ashti, Beed district, Maharashtra, into a family of farmers. From a young age, he displayed remarkable resilience and determination, running or walking the 6 km (3.7 mi) distance between home and school due to the lack of transport facilities in his village.
After completing 12th grade, Sable joined the 5 Mahar regiment of the Indian Army. His military service included challenging postings at the Siachen Glacier in 2013–2014, the deserts of northwestern Rajasthan, and Sikkim from 2015.
In 2015, at the insistence of his colleagues, Sable participated in inter-army cross country running, which marked the beginning of his athletic career. He soon switched to the steeplechase under the guidance of trainer Amrish Kumar. During this time, Sable, who was initially overweight, managed to lose 20 kg (44 lb) in three months before joining the national camp, where he trained under Nikolai Snesarev.
However, in 2018, Sable returned to coach Kumar, as Snesarev’s training routine did not suit him. This decision proved pivotal in his athletic development, setting the stage for his future successes.
Avinash Mukund Sable: From Setbacks to Records
After failing to qualify for the 2018 Asian Games due to an ankle injury, Avinash Mukund Sable made a remarkable comeback by breaking the 37-year-old national record of 8:30.88, previously held by Gopal Saini. Sable clocked 8:29.80 at the 2018 National Open Championships in Bhubaneswar. He continued his record-breaking streak by setting a new national record of 8:28.94 in March 2019 at the Federation Cup in Patiala. This achievement qualified him for the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships and the 2019 World Athletics Championships, making him the first male Indian steeplechaser to qualify for the World Championships since Deena Ram in 1991.
In his debut international event at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, Sable won the silver medal with a timing of 8:30.19. On 1 October 2019, at the World Championships, he broke his own national record again, running 8:25.23 in the heats despite being tripped twice by Takele Nigate. Initially finishing seventh in the heats and out of contention for the final, a successful appeal by the Athletics Federation of India included him in the final, making him the first Indian to qualify for the 3000 metres steeplechase final at the World Championships. He further improved the national record to 8:21.37 in the final, finishing 13th out of 16 runners, and qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Sable continued to set new milestones, setting a national record at the 2020 Delhi Half Marathon by completing the run in less than 61 minutes. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, he placed seventh in the heats with a new national record of 8:18.12, becoming the fastest non-qualifier across all heats.
In 2022, Sable set two more national records: first at the Indian Grand Prix with a time of 8:16.21, and then at the Meeting International Mohamed VI in Rabat with a time of 8:12.48, placing 5th—his highest rank in a Diamond League event. He won the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a new national record time of 8:11.20, marking the first time since 1994 that an athlete from outside Kenya won a medal in the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase at the Commonwealth Games.
At the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships, Sable finished 35th, clocking 31:43 over the 10km distance in a field of over 100 athletes. He won the first gold medal for India in the steeplechase and a silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 2022 Asian Games. https://globalbuzznetwork.com/track-and-field-athlete-paris-olympics-2024/
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/india/avinash-mukund-sable-14778911
Road to Paris 2024 Olympics:
Achieving his dreams of becoming an Olympian hasn’t slowed down Avinash Sable in the slightest.
Sable’s most recent achievement is setting the current men’s 3000m steeplechase national record with a time of 8:09.91, recorded at the 2024 Paris Diamond League. His previous best was 8:11.20, achieved at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he won the silver medal. https://globalbuzznetwork.com/avinash-sable-breaks-national-record-ahead-of-paris-2024-olympics/
