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Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Fit-again after calf and hamstring injuries, steeplechaser Avinash Sable eyes training stint in Morocco before World Athletics Championships
An injury to the right calf and hamstring was the reason for a mellow start to the season, India's middle-distance runner Avinash Sable said. Sable has run three races so far this year but his timings are nowhere close to the personal best of 8 minutes, 9.91 seconds. Sable started the season with the Xiamen Diamond League in April, clocking 8:22.59. He then ran at the Shanghai Diamond League, where he recorded a time of 8:23.85 and his last race was at the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea, where he clocked 8:20.92 to record his season best and also win the gold medal. The athlete from Maharashtra revealed that he was carrying an injury in the right calf and hamstring, which has impacted his timings. 'I was injured at the start of the season and that resulted in the poor results in the two Diamond League events in China,' Sable told the reporters in Bengaluru. 'Last-minute pull-outs from such big events send the wrong message, so I decided to go on with it despite the injury. I had a calf injury, and there was a lot of pain in my right calf and hamstring. But now I have recovered.' Currently training at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru, Sable has recovered from his injury and is looking forward to the upcoming tournaments. 'The recovery was good and I feel much better than at the start of the season,' said Sable. Sable will next compete at the Diamond League in Monaco next month but his ultimate target this year is September's World Championship. 'I might participate in the Brussels Diamond League (after the Monaco leg). I will compete in some competitions in India also. My main focus will be to do well in the World Championships,' he said. Until the 2024 Paris Olympics, Sable was training under Scott Simmons at Colorado Springs in the USA. However, after the Olympics, he has moved back to Bengaluru and is looking forward to some options in Africa to train. 'It was good training under Scott Simmons but I think I needed a change as it was not suited for my body. Currently, I don't have a full-time coach. I take support from Coach Kalyan Chaudhary who has been appointed by the Athletics Federation of India. Mostly, I have been making my plans and working on them, with Kalyan sir guiding me whenever needed. I trained under him before the two Diamond Leagues and then again ahead of the Asian Championships,' said Sable. He added: 'I searched for training bases in Africa and I have zeroed down on Morocco. The city of Ifrane is on my mind. After the Monaco Diamond League, I plan to train there for 45 days and spend some time training in Bengaluru also before the World Championships.' The plan to train in Morocco has not yet been sanctioned. Sable said he'll soon send a proposal to the federation. Sable became the first-ever Indian to dip below the timing of 8:10.00 in the 3000m steeplechase last year at the Paris Diamond League, setting a new national record. 'Last year was not that great due to the injuries later on. After the Paris Diamond League, I planned to run more races with a similar timing but it didn't happen,' said Sable. 'I have worked on things like finishing the race and tracking my mileage throughout the race. With the preparation I have, there are good chances that I clock my personal best or time closer to it at the Monaco Diamond League. At the World Championships, my focus will be to improve on my previous performance at the event.' Like the 90m mark that bothered Indian Javelin star Neeraj Chopra for years, the question of the 8-minute mark in steeplechase is quite prevalent. When asked if he, too, thinks about the milestone, Sable said: 'I want to break the 8-minute barrier but I know it won't happen that quickly. With training and gradual improvement, I might break it sometime later.' Apart from Steeplechase, Sable also runs the 5000m and 10000m occasionally. But he wants to focus on 5,000m after the World Championships. 'Sometimes, if I focus on two events, it hampers my performance in my main event. I might try 1500m or 5000m but my focus will be on Steeplechase till Worlds. After the World Championships, I will focus more on the 5000m also and won't leave the event,' he concluded. 8:20.92- Asian Athletics Championships 8:22.59- Xiamen Diamond League 8:23.82- Shanghai Diamond League (The writer is at the National Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru, at the invitation of the Sports Authority of India)
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Avinash Sable eyes personal best and World Championship redemption
Fit again after recovering from a nagging calf injury that plagued him for over a year, India's premier 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable has his sights firmly set on bettering his personal best in the upcoming meets, the foremost being the World Championship in September. The reigning Asian Games champion has been undergoing high altitude training in Ooty and also sharpening his form at the Sports Authority of India's Southern Centre here this season. "Last year was not good, it didn't even look like I'll be able to perform well. But this year I am competing in the Diamond League, so preparation (for the World Championship) is good," Sable told a select group of reporters here. "My target is to notch my personal best, closer to eight minutes. 15 days are left of training, I think I will be able to go near eight." The 30-year-old was battling a calf injury since the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. He opened his 2025 season with a time of of 8:22.59sec at the Xiamen Diamond League, followed by an 8:23.85sec effort in Shaoxing. However, he bounced back by clinching gold at the Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea in May afer clocking an improved 8:20.92sec. "Preparations are going well. I was injured in the opening of the season. But despite that I participated in two Diamond League events in China. "The results weren't good because of the injury. Then I competed in the Asian Championship to boost my confidence. I started training in November, the off season also went well. I faced a lot of trouble due to injuries last season. "I had a calf injury, there was a lot of pain in my right calf and hamstring. It started after the Asian Games and continued the entire year. The pain was there till January-February this year " The 30-year-old had failed to reach the final at the last World Championships, finishing a disappointing seventh in his heat. But this time, he's determined to do better. "At the World Championships, I want to improve my position from last time. This year I have worked on finishing the race, mileage etc." It's been nearly a year since Sable clocked the national record of 8:09.91sec, and the Armyman remains focused on breaching the coveted eight-minute barrier. "Yes I want to do it. It won't happen soon but I think I'll be able to improve my personal best," Sable conceded. In the build-up to the World Championships in September, The two-time Olympian plans to compete in a few more meets, including two Diamond League events. "I will compete in the steeplechase event in the Morocco Diamond League next month and then I will play another Diamond League and a competition in India. Focus will be to do well at Worlds." Sable is currently managing his training programme under the guidance of Athletic Federation of India coach Kalyan Chaudhari. "Kalyan Chaudhari (AFI coach) is helping me. I have made my own plans, and he suggests things. The training with Scott (Simmons) wasn't suitable for my body. So I decided that I will do it a little differently. "The training with Nikolai (Snesarev) coach worked well for me so I'm continuing with that. Haven't spoken for a longtime coach and will continue like this, this season," he said. Following the Morocco Diamond League, Sable plans to stay back there and train in Ifrane. "I was looking at Africa to train, Morocco is nice," he added.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Avinash Sable eyes personal best and World Championship redemption
Fit again after recovering from a nagging calf injury that plagued him for over a year, India's premier 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable has his sights firmly set on bettering his personal best in the upcoming meets, the foremost being the World Championship in September. India's 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable(AP) The reigning Asian Games champion has been undergoing high-altitude training in Ooty and also sharpening his form at the Sports Authority of India's Southern Centre in Bengaluru this season. "Last year was not good, it didn't even look like I'll be able to perform well. But this year I am competing in the Diamond League, so preparation (for the World Championship) is good," Sable told a select group of reporters. "My target is to notch my personal best, closer to eight minutes. 15 days are left of training, I think I will be able to go near eight." The 30-year-old was battling a calf injury since the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. He opened his 2025 season with a time of 8:22.59sec at the Xiamen Diamond League, followed by an 8:23.85sec effort in Shaoxing. However, he bounced back by clinching gold at the Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea in May afer clocking an improved 8:20.92sec. "Preparations are going well. I was injured in the opening of the season. But despite that I participated in two Diamond League events in China. "The results weren't good because of the injury. Then I competed in the Asian Championship to boost my confidence. I started training in November, the off season also went well. I faced a lot of trouble due to injuries last season. "I had a calf injury, there was a lot of pain in my right calf and hamstring. It started after the Asian Games and continued the entire year. The pain was there till January-February this year." The 30-year-old had failed to reach the final at the last World Championships, finishing a disappointing seventh in his heat. But this time, he's determined to do better. "At the World Championships, I want to improve my position from last time. This year I have worked on finishing the race, mileage etc." It's been nearly a year since Sable clocked the national record of 8:09.91sec, and the Armyman remains focused on breaching the coveted eight-minute barrier. "Yes I want to do it. It won't happen soon but I think I'll be able to improve my personal best," Sable conceded. In the build-up to the World Championships in September, The two-time Olympian plans to compete in a few more meets, including two Diamond League events. "I will compete in the steeplechase event in the Morocco Diamond League next month and then I will play another Diamond League and a competition in India. Focus will be to do well at Worlds." Sable is currently managing his training programme under the guidance of the Athletic Federation of India coach Kalyan Chaudhari. "Kalyan Chaudhari (AFI coach) is helping me. I have made my own plans, and he suggests things. The training with Scott (Simmons) wasn't suitable for my body. So I decided that I will do it a little differently. "The training with Nikolai (Snesarev) coach worked well for me so I'm continuing with that. Haven't spoken for a longtime coach and will continue like this, this season," he said. Following the Morocco Diamond League, Sable plans to stay back there and train in Ifrane. "I was looking at Africa to train, Morocco is nice," he added.
Hindustan Times
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Avinash Sable hopes to raise his level in Tokyo Worlds
New Delhi: Steeplechaser Avinash Sable's preparation for the Tokyo World Championships in September received a boost with the Asian title coming his way. Sable, a two-time Olympian, has been quietly preparing this season with a focus on the World Championships in Tokyo in September. After a disappointing result in the previous edition in Budapest, where he failed to progress to the final, Sable is determined to make amends. This season, Sable has been training in Ooty, unlike the past few years when he was based in high-altitude Colorado Springs in the US. The seasoned campaigner is charting out his own training plans under the guidance of coach Kalyan Chaudhari. Sable, 30, has competed in three events so far, opening his season at the Xiamen Diamond League in Doha with a time of 8:22.59. In his next Diamond League race in Shaoxing, he finished eighth (8:23.85). At the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, Sable was in control of the race, finishing well ahead of the field (8:20.92) to win his first title at the continental meet. He won silver in the 2019 Doha edition. 'I was carrying a niggle (hamstring) this season. That's why I couldn't give my best. I've been preparing in Ooty, and due to the injury, I wasn't able to practice hurdles. I couldn't perform at my best in the first two competitions,' said Sable. 'The Rabat Diamond League and the Asian Championships were close together, and I had to pick one. This result in Gumi was good for my confidence. I wanted to test myself and see whether my preparations are on track.' This will be Sable's fourth appearance at the World Championships. The national record holder has his eyes set on improving his performance. He has been a standout performer for India, breaking the 3000m steeplechase national record multiple times. He won a sensational silver at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 in a quality field and clinched gold at the 2023 Asian Games. In the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, Sable bettered his national record (8:09.91) at the Paris Diamond League. A month later, he clocked 8:15.43 in the heats to qualify for the Olympics final, where he finished 11th (8:14.18). 'I'm satisfied with the way I paced myself and executed my strategy at the Asian Championships. It gave me a good indication of how much I can pick up the pace and where I stand. There are still a few months left for the World Championships, and I will get better.' In Gumi, Sable executed his race strategy well. Having led until about the halfway mark, he briefly dropped to second behind Japan's Yutaro Niinae. On the last lap, Sable changed gears and surged ahead of the field. Niinae (8:24.41) and Qatar's Zakaria Elahlaami (8:27.12) finished far behind. However, to make a mark at the worlds, Sable must step up, with the season having already seen some fast times. The Xiamen Diamond League was won by Ethiopia's Samuel Firewu (8:05.61), with Moroccan two-time Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali second (8:06.66). Abrham Sime won the second leg in Shaoxing clocking 8:07.92, followed by Edmund Serem (8:08.68) and Simon Kiprop (8:09.05). In Rabat, El Bakkali showcased his class on home turf, winning in a world-leading time of 8:00.70. The Moroccan is widely regarded as one of the best ever in the event. His explosive speed, tactical brilliance, and ability to peak at major championships have made him a formidable force. In the midst of such strong runners, Sable will have to raise his performance significantly to stay competitive and aim for a spot in the final. Sable has already qualified for the World Championships based on his performance at the Paris Olympics and will be aiming to deliver a strong finish in Tokyo.
India Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Keqiao Diamond League: Avinash Sable finishes 8th in men's 3000m steeple chase
India's top 3000m steeplechaser, Avinash Sable, finished eighth with a modest timing in the Diamond League Meeting on Saturday. The 30-year-old Sable clocked 8 minutes and 23.85 seconds in his second race of the season. His timing was more than a second worse than what he had clocked in the Xiamen Diamond League on April 26, though he finished five places higher than the last Xiamen, he finished 13th, clocking 8 minutes 22.59 seconds in a top-class field. On Saturday, Abrham Sime of Ethiopia won the race with a time of 8:07.82 while Kenyans Edmund Serem (8:08.68) and Simon Kiprop Koech (8:09.05) were second and third Ethiopian, Samuel Firewu, who had won the Xiamen Diamond League, took sixth place with a time of 8:11.18. He had caused a major upset in Xiamen, beating the reigning Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco for the top spot. El Bakkali did not compete here on national record holder was competing for the second time since the Diamond League Final in September last year, where he finished ninth with a time of 8 minutes and 17.09 seconds. His national record stands at 8: who finished 11th at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a time of 8:14.18, has already qualified for the World Championships in September in Tokyo on the basis of the Paris Olympics Watch
