Olympics 2021: Despite creating a national record, poor finish costs Avinash Sable a place in men’s 3000m steeplechase final

India’s steeplechaser Avinash Sable ran the race of his life on his debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games on Friday but narrowly missed a berth in the final of the men’s 3000 meters steeplechase.

The Army’s 26-year-old distance runner clocked 8 minutes 18.12 seconds, a national record, to finish seventh in heat 2. Keter Benard of the United States of America (USA) who clocked 8 minutes 17.31 seconds to finish sixth in the same heat, was the last and the sixth-fastest finisher to enter the final.

As per the rules, the top three in each of the three heats automatically entered the final, while the six fastest finishers also qualified for the medal round.

Avinash’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics was better than his previous best of 8 minutes 20.20 seconds clocked in March, but it didn’t fetch him a place in the final. The Indian runner was 13th overall with a time of 8 minutes 18.12 seconds.

Avinash trailed the leading pack in the early stages of the preliminary round. However, he moved up to sixth spot covering the first 1000m in 2 minutes 46.6 seconds.

The Indian runner briefly took the lead but fell back as the race progressed. He clocked 5 min 33.6 for 2000m. Avinash, who had a good finishing kick, slowed down in the last two laps and drifted away from the leading pack to miss the cut for the final as the fastest qualifier.

How did the other competitors perform in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final

The first heat turned out to be the fastest. Ethiopia’s Girma Lamecha was the fastest runner in the pack. He clocked 8 minutes 9.83 seconds to win the first heat.

Japanese runner Ryuji Miura performed impressively. He finished second with 8 minutes 9.92 seconds to win an automatic place to advance into the final.

Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot led the field in heat 2. He clocked 8 minutes 12.25 seconds. Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale was second. He clocked 8 minutes 12.55 seconds. Italian Ahmed Abdelwahed was third fastest with a time of 8 minutes 12.71 seconds.

The third heat was the slowest. The winner, Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali, clocked 8 minutes 19 seconds.