World Athletics Championships 2023: National record holder 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable failed to qualify for the final round of the World Athletics Championships 2023. The 28-year old finished at a disappointing seventh place in his heat race on Saturday.
Avinash Sable trained abroad for many months on Sports Ministry’s funding to prepare for this showpiece event. However on the day when it mattered the most, he clocked 8 minute and 22.24 seconds to finish seventh in heat number one.
With only the top five finishers in the three heats make it to the final round, Sable couldn’t make the cut to the next round.
Sable was expected to at least make it to the final. But his performance is a huge disappointment for the Indian camp. The Commonwealth Games silver medallist holds the national record of 8:11.20.
“It breaks my heart,” says Avinash Sable
“I am very disappointed because I worked hard and sacrificed a lot to prepare for the main event. As I could not make it to the final, it feels very bad. It also broke my heart because I had full faith on my abilities. I had a good preparation. There were no lapses in training,” said Sable after the race.
“I thought I am fit, I will save my full energy for the final. If I had been a little quick, I would have made a top-five finish. But if I cannot do well even after such a good preparation, it breaks my heart,” added Sable. He will next be in action in the Asian Games.
Follow InsideSport on GOOGLE NEWS/ Follow World Athletics Championships 2023 LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN.