Avinash Sable, India’s most decorated track and field athlete after Neeraj Chopra, has become the first Indian man to qualify for the 3000m steeplechase final at the Paris Olympics. Sable finished fifth in his heat with a time of 8:15.43 minutes, securing a spot in the final round.
Sable’s heat was won by Morocco’s Mohamed Tindouft (8:10.62 minutes), followed by Samuel Firewu of Ethiopia (8:11.61 minutes). Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya (8:12.02 minutes) and Ryuji Miura of Japan (8:12.41 minutes) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Despite leading the first two laps, Sable slowed down strategically to conserve energy and qualify for the final. His heat timing was below his personal best of 8:09.91 minutes, which he set at the Paris Diamond League last month.
In the women’s 400m, Kiran Pahal failed to secure an automatic semi-final berth after finishing seventh in her heat. Pahal clocked 52.51 seconds, well below her season’s and personal best of 50.92 seconds.
World champion Marileidy Paulino of Dominica won Pahal’s heat with a time of 49.42 seconds, followed by Aaliyah Butler (50.52 seconds) of the USA and Susanne Gogl-Walli (50.67 seconds) of Austria.
Pahal will now compete in the repechage round on Tuesday, where she will have a second chance to qualify for the semi-finals. The repechage round was introduced in the Paris Olympics for all individual track events from 200m to 1500m, including hurdles events.
