Steeplechase runner Avinash Sable now aiming for sub-eight minute mark

steeplechase yet again, Avinash Sable is now aiming for a sub-eight minute time. "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.

"That said, I think a sub-eight minute mark is definitely possible, and, Indians are no less capable than their foreign counterparts," Sable said during a virtual interaction on Friday. The 27-year-old Sable clocked 8.12.48 at the recently-concluded Diamond League in Rabat, bettering his own national record by over three seconds. Sable, in fact, pipped 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games Bronze medallist, Benjamin Kigen, and finished fifth.

The Maharastra-born athlete stated that the feat will allow him to prepare 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." Sable also said that the Diamond League participation has been a huge learning curve for him and mentioned that competing in world-class events would allow him to further hone 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 understood 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 field. However, in events like this, one gets to know new strategies from the other top