IAAF World Championships: Avinash Sable included in Steeplechase final after India's successful appeal
Avinash Sable had finished 7th in first round heat number 3 of the men's 3000m Steeplechase but was involved in 2 incidents during the race which hampered his chances of qualifying for the finals.
HIGHLIGHTS
Avinash Sable had finished 7th in first round heat number 3 of the men's 3000m Steeplechase but was involved in 2 incidents during the race which hampered his chances of qualifying for the finals.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Avinash Sable had finished 7th in the first round heat number 3 and 20th overall out of 44 athletes
- Sable fell twice during the race for no fault of his own as the Ethopian athlete running in front of him tripped and fell
- Sable clocked 8 minute 25.23 seconds and broke his own national record in Steeplechase
Avinash Sable has managed to make the cut in the finals of the men's 3000m Steeplechase at the IAAF World Athletics Championships after India lodged a protest against the two incidents which took place during the race, the Athletics Federation of India tweeted.
Sable fell twice during the race for no fault of his own as the Ethopian athlete running in front of him tripped and fell. Sable broke his own national record and finished 7th in the third heat but his chances of finishing higher were dented as he was involved in two incidents, both triggered by reigning junior world champion Takele Nigate of Ethiopia.
The 24-year-old Indian clocked 8 minute 25.23 seconds to finish 20th overall out of 44 athletes who completed the race.
In the first, Sable had to jump over another competitor as four-five athletes at the rear fell over each other. Midway during the race, Nigate bumped into an obstacle just in front of Sable.
The Indian had to virtually climb up the obstacle as he was blocked by the Ethiopian, thereby losing crucial time.
Sable then made an impressive recovery towards the end but it was not enough for a place in the final on a track where he had won a silver in April in the Asian Championships with a time of 8:30.19.
The Athletics Federation of India later filed an appeal, saying that Sable was blocked twice during the race, and he got a favourable decision.
"We filed an appeal and we have got a favourable decision. So, Avinash will be in the final, he has been included among the finalists," AFI Planning Commission Chairman Lalit Bhanot told PTI.
The world governing body IAAF confirmed Avinash's qualification for the final by including him among the finalists in the official results.
There was no change in sable's position but he has been added as the 16th competitor for the final race to be run on Friday.
The top three in each of the three heats and the next six fastest qualify for the final race.
India's successful appeal now means that Sable has become the first athlete from the country to qulify for the Steeplechase final. His earlier national record was 8:28.94 in March this year during the Federation Cup. He thus ran more than three seconds better than his earlier national record.
Sable is the first male steeplechaser from India to qualify for the World Championships since Deena Ram (1991).
