India’s long-distance runner Avinash Sable has set his eyes on sub-eight minute mark after a successful maiden Diamond League appearance in Morocco, where he smashed the national record in men's 3000m steeplechase yet again.
Sable broke the national record for the eighth time as he finished fifth in the event at Rabat in Morocco on Sunday.
Setting new records
The 27-year-old clocked 8 minutes 12.48 seconds, bettering his own national mark by over three seconds. His previous best was 8:16:21 and came at the Indian Grand Prix 2 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in March this year. "When I first started competing in steeplechase way back in 2018, I regularly used to clock somewhere around 8.29-30. I never thought I would reach a stage where I could rise to the margin of 8.12 at any point,” said Sable during a media interaction.
"That said, I think a sub-eight minute mark is definitely possible and Indians are no less capable than their foreign counterparts," he added.
The Maharashtra-based athlete said that his feat will allow him to train better for the upcoming World Championships event and the Commonwealth Games. "It was my maiden appearance at the Diamond League and to me, it's akin to performing at the Olympic Games or the World Championships final. This will allow me to have a better preparation leading up to the World Championships and also at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham."
Learning curve
Sable said that participating in world-class events will allow him to improve his skills by competing with top athletes. It has truly been an amazing experience for me. Competing in world-class events like the Diamond League made me understand the overall quality of the event and also the level of competitiveness it brings. In India, when I compete in steeplechase events, I usually run alone in the field. However, in events like this, one gets to know new strategies from the other top athletes while competing with them," Sable said from Colorado Springs in the US.
