Avinash Sable rues bad luck during Tokyo Olympics build-up, eyes 8:10 mark next

Avinash Sable was another such athlete, who might not have made it to the finals, but managed to break the national record despite a tough build-up in the last couple of months leading to the Games.
Steeplechase athlete Avinash Sable (Photo | PTI)
Steeplechase athlete Avinash Sable (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Most members of the Indian athletics contingent at the Tokyo Olympics did the nation proud. Apart from Neeraj Chopra's gold medal-winning feat, notable performances came from Kamalpreet Kaur in discus while the 4x400 men's relay team broke the Asian record.

Avinash Sable was another such athlete, who might not have made it to the finals, but managed to break the national record despite a tough build-up in the last couple of months leading to the Games. The Olympic debutant finished seventh in his heat with a timing of 8:18.12s — a new national record — and he was the 13th fastest, but he still missed the elusive finals spot.

The steeplechase athlete produced a personal best timing of 8:20.20 at the Federation Cup in March earlier this year in Patiala. And at that moment, the postponement of the Games seemed like a blessing in disguise with the 26-year-old showing steady improvement in his timings. But he was struck down with the dreaded Covid-19 virus in April and soon after his preparations took a major hit.

"At that moment I was confident of breaching the 8:10-8:12 mark. I was targetting a podium finish but reaching the final would have been almost a certainty," said the athlete.

It all started going downhill from there. Initially, there were plans to train alongside long-distance coach Nikolai Snesarev but after his sudden death, those well-laid-out plans could not come to fruition. AFI, SAI and TOPs stepped in and tried to provide the best of facilities but after the second wave struck in India, Avinash ended up stuck in Bengaluru.

"Plans included heading to Morocco and after that, a training camp in Uganda was also mooted but none of it worked out. The federation and government tried their best but it was not meant to be," the athlete from Beed district in Maharashtra added.

That was not the end of it as he contracted the Covid-19 virus for the second time, just a month before the start of the Olympics. That derailed all his hard work.

"I did not even tell my family as I did not want them to worry. The second time was even worse and I have never felt that weak in my life. It was a difficult period for me, not only physically, but also mentally as at that moment I started having doubts. Was there any point in going to Tokyo?" he revealed.

But the Asian Championship silver medallist did indeed go to Tokyo and while a finals appearance eluded him, he still managed to break his own national record with a timing of 8:18.12 in the 3000m steeplechase. But he did not enjoy this record breaking run as he had done in the past.

"I could have done more and that feeling continued to run inside my mind. I had such high hopes but I could not live up to my own expectations," he summed up his feelings.

A faster timing might not have necessarily meant a medal but making the finals would have been an achievement in itself. The pacesetters in such events can change the speed of the race to suit their endurance levels at any point. But Avinash has already vowed to reach the target he set prior to Tokyo.

"In the coming days, that is the aim — to breach the 8:10 mark. I'm not necessarily thinking only of medals. For now, my body needs rest. But once I'm ready, I will go all out to reach my goal,": Avinash signed off.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com