“I committed mistakes in the last two years” - Avinash Sable vows to turn the tables at Paris Olympics 2024

After taking up running in 2015, Avinash Sable, the 3000m steeplechase runner, has created multiple national records. Avinash is confident of turning the tables for the mistakes he has committed in the past few years and put up an excellent show at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Most recently, he secured the gold medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the National Inter-State Championships 2024 in Panchkula, Haryana.

However, he has failed to put up an exceptional show on the global stage barring his Commonwealth Games 2022 (CWG) performance when he bagged the silver medal. Remarkably, it was the first time an athlete from outside Kenya had won a medal in the men's 3000m steeplechase at the CWG since 1994.

He picked up the 11th position in the 3000m steeplechase final in the World Championships 2022 in the USA and got eliminated in the preliminary round heats in the World Championships 2023 in Hungary.

"I committed mistakes in the last two years. I had gone with good fitness in the two World Championships (2022 and 2023) but could not do well at both. I want to make amends, hope that this Olympics will be my best,” Avinash Sable told the media on the sidelines after his race.

"Last year also I committed mistakes. Every year, I used to start my steeplechase running season very early in April or May. But when I wanted to check myself at the last minute, I found myself not being able to compete,” he added.

"This is why I am starting my competition season late this time. I am doing different this time. I will start peaking only this month. If I start peaking early, people (competitors) will take notice of me,” he stated.

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“I don’t even consider these national records an achievement” - Avinash Sable

Notably, Avinash Sable has broken the national record on nine occasions. He also won a gold medal at the Asian Games in 2023 and a silver medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a new national record time of 8:11.20 seconds.

“I don’t even consider these national records an achievement. If I wanted to, I could have taken part in events and broken the national record again but my focus is the Olympics,” he went on to add.

It’s worth noting that Avinash Sable met the qualifying standard (8:15.00 seconds) for the Paris Olympics 2024 in the men’s 3000m steeplechase at the Diamond League series in Silesia, Poland, in 2023, clocking 8:11.63 seconds to end at the sixth rank.

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