India’s ace 3000m steeplechaser and National record holder Avinash Sable failed to qualify for the final round of the World Athletics Championships after finishing a disappointing seventh in his heat race in a shocking result here on Saturday.
Sable had trained abroad for many months for this event and was exempted from competing in the domestic events, clocked 8 minutes and 22.24 seconds to finish seventh in heat number one.
Only the top five finishers in the three heats make it to the final round.
Sable was expected to at least make it to the finals, if not win a medal. He holds the national record of 8:11.20.
“I’ve sacrificed a lot for preparing for this event. And when I don’t do well, I do feel bad,” told Sable after his performance.
“In the last kilometre I wasn’t able to decide whether to take the lead or be with the group. I made the mistake of thinking that I am fit, I’ll save my full power for the final.”
With his next target being the Asian Games, Sable will get back with the aim to win India a gold in China. “The next competition is the Asian Games, the preparation is going on good and isn’t lacking in anyway. I’m obviously disappointed (with the result) and do my best.”
Radhakrishnan Nair, the chief coach of Indian athletics, said that the Indian team would protest as Sable seemed to have allegedly been tripped by another athlete with a lap to go. However, the details are yet to be confirmed.
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