World Athletics Championships 2023 – Day 1 Highlights: The 19th edition of the World Athletics Championship has begun on 19th August 2023, Sunday. In a big disappointment, Avinash Sable failed to qualify for the 3000m Steeplechase final. The Commonwealth Games Silver medallist finished seventh in the heats and couldn’t make it to the final.
Racewalkers Vikas Singh, Paramjeet Singh and Akshdeep Singh also disappointed as they finished 28th, 35th and 47th respectively in the only medal event of the day. Long Jumper Shaili Singh also failed to make the cut as she finished 24th out of 36 athletes in the tournament.
Also Read: World Athletics Championships: All you need to know about Indian squad, schedule, LIVE Streaming
World Athletics Championships – Day 1
India’s Fixtures
Men’s 20km Race Walk Final – Vikas Singh – 28th (1:21.58), Paramjeet Singh – 35th (1:24.02), Akshdeep Singh – 47th (1:31:12)
Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Heats – Avinash Sable – Seventh in Heats (Did not qualify to final)
Women’s Long Jump Qualification – Shaili Singh – 24th in Heats (Did not Qualify to final)
Men’s 1500m Heats – Ajay Kumar Saroj – 13th place in Heats (Did not Qualify to final)
Men’s Triple Jump Qualification – Abdulla Aboobacker – 14th, Praveen Chithravel, Eldhouse Paul (Did not Qualify)
Men’s 20km Race Walk Final
Akshdeep Singh, who is a gold medallist at the Asian Race Walking Championships will be making his debut in the World Athletics Championship. He qualified for the event by setting a national record with a time of 1.19.55. He achieved the feat at the Indian Open Race Walking Competition in Ranchi. By vitrue of his National record performance he has also qualified for the Asian Games and the Olympics. The World Championships will be his maiden appearance in a world event.
Vikas Singh meanwhile won the bronze medal in the Asian Athletics Championships last month. He clocked 1:29:32 in the event. It was far from his personal best of 1:20.05 which he clocked during the Asian Race Walking Championships earlier this year. Paramjeet Singh too made his cut to the World Championships after clocking 1:20.08 earlier this year.
With the trio all set to feature in the Asian Games and the Olympics, they are aiming or a good show at the world stage. “This is my first world-level competition, but I am fully prepared. I want to compete for a medal so that I improve and perform well on my path to events like Asian Games and Olympics,” said Akshdeep Singh ahead of his World Championship debut.
Qualifying Rounds
In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Avinash Sable will be in action in the heats. After finishing 11th last year, he aims for a much better show in the World Championships this year. The 28-year-old clocked his season’s best of 8.11.63s at the Silesia Diamond League last month. With this, he has raised the expectations and one can atleast expect a Top-6 finish from him.
Triple jumping trio, Eldhose Paul, Praveen Chitravel and Abdulla Aboobacker will be in action in the qualifying round. Paul, who was the first IndianTriple jumper to qualify for the World Championships last year finished ninth in the event. He is aiming for a much improved show.
This year, he will also face competition from compatriots Praveen Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker. Aboobacker finished 10th in the qualifiers at the event last year. While, Chithravel is the one to watch out for as he is the current national record holder with a jump of 17.37m earlier this season.
India’s Shalili SIngh will also look to make it to the final in the Long Jump. While Ajay Kumar Saroj will be in action in the Men’s 1500m Heats.
How to watch World Athletics Championships 2023 LIVE Streaming in India?
Fans in India can catch the LIVE action of the World Athletics Championship on Jio Cinema App.
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