Avinash Sable finishes fifth in men's 3000m steeplechase at Stockholm Diamond League 2023

This was national record holder's fourth meet this season.

India's national record holder Avinash Mukund Sable finished fifth in men's 3000m steeplechase by clocking 08:21.88 minutes at the Stockholm Diamond League 2023. Morroco's Soufiane El Bakkali won the race convincingly and was closely followed by Ethiopia's Getnet Wale and Sime Abrham for the second and third spots respectively.

The conditions before the start of the race and the day overall wasn't ideal with wet conditions. With World Champion Soufiane El Bakkali around, people would have generally expected a high paced race but the race was rather slow paced. Bakkali, Wale and Sime were part of the front pack for majority of the race with Indian Avinash Sable maintaining a steady pace changing positions consistently in the fourth and fifth spots. During the last phase, El Bakkali outclassed the Ethiopians and went ahead by jogging at the finish line.

This was Sable's second meet at the Diamond League this season. In the previous meet in Rabat, he finished 10th by clocking 08:17.18 minutes. Although he hasn't increased his timings but finishing fifth adds valuable four ranking points to his kitty. Sable finally opened his account in the Diamond League and is currently placed 14th in the road to Diamond League finals.

The 28-year-old is currently training in Coldorado Spring in the USA and was also excluded from Inter-State Athletics meet and Asian Athletics Championships. He broke the national record in the men's 5000m by clocking a national record time of 13:19.30 minutes at Track Festival in the USA. He was also the lone Indian participant to feature in the Stockholm Diamond League 2023.

Avinash Sable's performance in 2023

3000m Steeplechase

Rabat Diamond League - 08:17.18

Stockholm Diamond League - 08.21:88

5000m

Track Festival - 13:19.30 (NR)