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India’s Avinash Sable is the only Asian in the field of 15 finalists for the men’s 3000m steeplechase scheduled for Monday evening, July 18, at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene.
The Indian army runner isn’t a favorite but is ready for the blistering last lap of the grueling event comprising seven water jumps and 28 barriers.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Sable said:
“The medal race will be a tactical battle and I am ready for that. The race will boil down to the last lap. Athletes having the ability to churn out fast 400 in the end should be among the medalist(s).”
Sable demonstrated in the heats that he is capable of sprinting hard. Ahead of the final race, the Indian sprinter seems to have his plans chalked out. He said:
“I will go all out. That’s all I can say.”
The gold medalists of the two long-distance track races - women’s 10,000 meters on Saturday and men’s 10,000 meters on Sunday - were good examples of athletes winning titles by unleashing a strong finishing kick.
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei ran a sub-54 seconds in the last 400 meters of the men’s 25-lap race, while Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey covered the last lap in sub-61 seconds.
In both men and women’s 10,000m races, as many as five athletes were at the bell and sprinted hard on the home straight to earn a podium finish.
East Africans dominate the steeplechase at World Athletics Championships
The steeplechase event has been dominated by East Africans, particularly Kenyans, at the World Athletics Championships.
In the field in the 15-athlete final, three Kenyans and an equal number of Ethiopians will be in action. Two athletes, including Evan Jager, will represent the home team in the final. Jager is the first athlete to make it to four finals of the steeplechase competition.
Kenya’s Conselus Kipruto will try to defend his title. He also won gold at the 2017 edition in London. The two-time defending champion is looking to win his fifth consecutive medal, having won two silver medals in 2013 and 2015. Kipruto’s best this season has been 8:08.76, which he clocked in June in Rome.
Morocco’s 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkal is among the favorites. The Olympic champion has a season-best of 7:58.28 set in the Rabat Diamond League.
If Bakkal wins, he will be the first non-Kenyan to win both Olympic gold and World Athletics Championships titles. Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma had the second fastest time of the season at 7:58.68.
Sable’s best mark of the season was 8:12.48, clocked in the Rabat Diamond League in Morocco in June. However, he remains confident of a better showing this time around. He concluded:
“I should be able to clock a better time.”
