Star Indian steeplechaser Avinash Sable is out for 1–2 weeks after a nasty fall during the Monaco Diamond League. On July 11, Sable copped a big blow while participating in the competition, which forced him to retire from the race.
Avinash Sable’s coach, Amrish Kumar, told PTI in an interview that Sable’s injury was a minor one and that he would be back on the track in no time. Asian Games champion and national record holder Sable failed to finish the men’s 3000m steeplechase event on Friday as he fell during the water jump early in the race. He was seen clutching his lower thigh area just at the back of the knee as he left the race.
“Sable has suffered a minor injury around the knee. He will take rest and he should be all right in one or two weeks at the maximum. It is not much to worry about,” Kumar, who is with the Army Sports Institute in Pune, told PTI.
“He (Sable) was trying to protect the runner ahead of him who had just jumped over the water barrier. While doing that, he himself fell – these kinds of things happen in a race,” he added.
The athlete ahead of him lost balance and went down, causing Sable to stumble as well.
Avinash Sable Eyeing Redemption
Avinash Sable is targeting the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Sable recently shook off a nagging calf injury and hoped to be back to his best in the ongoing season. The reigning Asian Games gold medalist has been steadily rebuilding his fitness, splitting his time between high-altitude training in Ooty and intense workouts at the Sports Authority of India’s Southern Centre in Bengaluru. With preparations going smoothly, Sable is quietly confident.
However, with the stumble in the Monaco Diamond League, his preparations have taken a slight hit. With just one point from three DL meetings this season, it will be difficult for the 30-year-old Sable to make it to the DL Finals on August 27–28 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Sable, whose national record stands at 8:09.91 seconds, finished 13th in the Xiamen DL on April 16, was eighth in Keqiao—also in China—before a DNF in Monaco on Friday.
The last DL meeting which has men’s 3000m steeplechase on the roster is in Brussels on August 22.
On Friday, the sports ministry approved Sable’s training in Colorado Springs, USA, from July 15 to September 3 to prepare for the World Championships (September 13–21) in Tokyo, for which he has already qualified.
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