Avinash Sable recently made headlines. The Indian steeplechase runner will now head towards the finals of Paris Olympics 2024. On 5th of August, 2024, Avinash Sable timed 8:15.43 in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event and ended in the top 5 and secured a spot in the final.
Here’s a bit of his backstory.
Early Life
Born on 13 September 1994, in Mandwa, Beed district of Maharashtra, Avinash Sable’s childhood was spent entirely in a village upbringing. With his family members being farmers, he would often run or walk the 6 km between his home and school due to the lack of transportation facilities in his village. These experiences instilled in him the habit that he is pursuing today.
Military Service and Athletic Transition
Sable joined the 5 Mahar regiment of the Indian Army after his 12th standard. His service included a tough stint at Siachen Glacier from 2013 to 2014, followed by postings in the deserts of north-western Rajasthan and Sikkim from 2015. During this time, he was initiated into cross-country running by fellow colleagues, which eventually led to his steeplechase training.
Breakthrough
Avinash Sable’s potential was spotted in January 2017 during a cross-country race in Hyderabad by Army coach Amrish Kumar. Sable was far from being an athlete then. He weighed around 76 kgs then. Under Kumar’s guidance, he lost 20 kgs in three months that set the track for his success in athletics.
After the setback of the ankle injury that ruled him out of the Asian Games qualification, Sable broke the 37-year-old national record at the Open National Championships in 2018 with a timing of 8:29.80. On his streak of record-setting, in 2019 he started the year with a new national record of 8:28.94 at the Federation Cup and took a silver at the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha.
International Recognition
In 2019 Avinash Sable became the first Indian male steeplechaser since way back in 1991 to qualify for the World Championships. At the World Championships, he bettered his national record to 8:21.37 and finished the final in 13th place. In 2020, he set a national record at the Delhi Half Marathon and finished seventh at the Summer Olympics in a national record time of 8:18.12.
Again, in 2022, Sable broke other national records at the Indian Grand Prix with a timing of 8:16.21 and at the Meeting International Mohamed VI with 8:12.48. His performance in the Commonwealth Games sealed him a silver with a national record time of 8:11.20.
Achievements and Future Prospects
In 2023, Sable finished 35th at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships and took gold in the steeplechase and silver in the 5000 meters at the Asian Games.
Avinash Sable is going to be a watched athlete heading into the finals of Paris Olympics 2024 as he eyes to strike gold for India. He will compete in the final on the night of 7th August (8th Aug) at 1:13 am IST.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
