New Delhi: Avinash Sable, India’s top steeplechaser, has set a new national record in the men’s 3,000 m steeplechase at the Paris Diamond League. The impressive performance comes just weeks before the Paris Olympics, where Sable will be aiming to convert this form into a medal. His record-breaking run has cemented his status as a serious contender in the event.
Sable Sunday completed the men’s 3,000 m steeplechase at the Paris Diamond League in 8:09.91 (8 minutes and 9.91 seconds), surpassing his own national record by over a second. He finished sixth in a highly competitive field at Charlety Stadium. His previous national record of 8:11.20 was set at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he secured a silver medal.
The Diamond League is an annual series of premier track and field events, organised by World Athletics. It brings together the world’s top athletes in a competitive circuit that showcases the best of the sport.
The Paris meeting was the eighth stop of the Diamond League 2024 series, with athletes vying for points to qualify for the finals. The competition is fierce, with only the top performers in each event earning a spot in the finals. The ultimate goal is to emerge victorious at the finals in Brussels, Belgium, in September, and claim the coveted Diamond League trophy.
‘There is life beyond sports’
Sable was born in a small village of Mandwa in Maharashtra, where he spent his early days helping his family with farming and tending to their livestock. His athletic talent was discovered by chance, when he finished second in a cross-country race in his school days.
This sparked a passion for running, which led him to join the Army Sports Institute in Pune. Sable’s dedication and hard work paid off, as he went on to win numerous accolades, including a gold and silver medal at the Asian Games and a silver at the Commonwealth Games.
He has also broken multiple national records, cementing his status as one of India’s top distance runners. His impressive performance at the Diamond League is a testament to his rigorous training regime, which includes sessions with elite athletes like Paul Chelimo, a decorated Olympic and World Championship medallist.
Training alongside the best has not only honed Sable’s skills but also instilled a valuable mindset, as he has learned “not to take sports so seriously”. The approach may seem counterintuitive, but it’s clearly working for Sable, who has shown no signs of losing his intensity or competitive edge, as evidenced by his record-breaking feat at the Paris Diamond League.
Sable shared his learnings from training abroad with top athletes. According to a report in The Indian Express, he said it wasn’t just their methods that impressed him, but also their mindset.
“Earlier, I could not separate my sports and personal life. If I had a bad day on the field, that would affect my whole routine. I would carry the problems of the track to my personal life and it was draining me. In the US, I saw how athletes would have a bad day and just brush it off. Moments after the race you could see them smiling like nothing happened. Observing them I realised that there is life beyond sports,” he was quoted as saying.
The growing willingness of athletes to discuss and protect their mental health is a welcome trend.
Previously, English cricketer Ben Stokes stunned the cricketing community by announcing an indefinite break from the sport to focus on his mental health. So did Simone Biles, widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time. She too took a break from competition in 2021 to focus on her mental health.
Cricket icon Virat Kohli has also shared his battle with mental health, revealing that he had been struggling to maintain his intensity. After taking a break to recharge, Kohli returned to the sport with renewed energy.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)