Avinash Sable ended his season on a strong note, finishing 9th in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event during his debut appearance in the prestigious Diamond League Final. On Friday, September 13, Sable recorded his fourth-best time of the season-8:17.09 seconds- in Brussels, Belgium.
Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco was defeated in the Diamond League Final as 22-year-old Kenyan Amos Serem claimed victory, securing his maiden Diamond Trophy in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. The former U20 world champion clocked a time of 8:06.90 seconds, beating El Bakkali by nearly two seconds (8:08.60 seconds).
It was the first time since September 2021 that Olympic champion El Bakkali lost a 3000m steeplechase race.
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Unlike in previous races this season, Avinash Sable was unable to set the pace in the 3000m steeplechase final in Brussels. Sable worked to stay with the pack in the 12-man race and did well to finish ninth.
Meanwhile, the battle between Serem and El Bakkali stole the spotlight on Friday evening. Serem continually pressured El Bakkali and dominated the final lap, giving the Moroccan Olympic champion no chance to overtake him in the home stretch.
Tunisia’s Mohamed Amin Jhinaoui secured third place with a time of 8:09.68 seconds, while Olympic bronze medalist Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya finished fourth, clocking 8:10.51 seconds.
For Avinash Sable, it was a morale-boosting race in another impressive season. Sable broke the national record in the men’s 3000m steeplechase for the 10th time with a timing of 8:09.91 seconds in the Paris Diamond League, finishing sixth in the race.
SABLE’S 2024 SEASON IN A GLIMPSE
- Finished 9th in Diamond League Final in Brussels in September – 8:17.09 seconds
- Finished 14th in the Silesia Diamond League in August – 8:29.96 seconds
- Finished 11th in the Paris Olympics final in August – 8:14.18 seconds
- Finished 6th in the Paris Diamond League in July – 8:09.91 seconds (NR)
- Won the Indian Championships in June – 8:31.75 seconds
- Finished 2nd in the Portland Track Festival in June – 8:21.85 seconds
He finished 11th in the Olympic final in Paris in August, clocking 8:14.18 seconds. Sable, 30, finished 14th in the Silesia Diamond League in August, clocking 8:29.96 seconds. The Indian steeplechaser qualified for his maiden Diamond League Final despite finishing 14th. With only the top 12 at the end of the Silesia Diamond League qualifying for the final in Brussels, Avinash benefitted from the withdrawals of as many as four athletes who finished above him.
India had two representatives for the first time in the history of the Diamond League. Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic silver medallist from Paris, will be in action in a six-man men’s javelin field on Saturday, September 14. Neeraj is favourite to win the Diamond League Trophy for the second time in his career. He faces competition from Grenada’s Anderson Peters and Germany’s Julian Weber.