Avinash Sable Turns 28: A look at His Incredible Journey from Indian Army to Steeplechase Championship
Sable’s rise has been an incredible one. He has created history in the commonwealth games 2022 as he bagged the title of the ‘first Indian steeplechaser to win a medal for the country’.
Avinash Sable has established himself as India’s premiere long-distance runner. Sable took up running as a sport in 2015. His rise has been an incredible one. Avinash Sable was born in the village of Mandwa in Maharashtra on September 13, 1994.
Sable’s Early Life.
Being born in a family with modest means, Sable went through a lot of hardships during his early childhood. Both his parents were farmers. In his early schooling years, Sable used to cover a distance of six kilometres barefoot because there was no public transportation available. After being exposed to the harsh realities of life at a tender age, Sable never really harboured any athletic ambitions. While he was a child, he wanted to join the Indian army.
How the Indian Army Played a Major Role in Transforming Sable into an Athlete
Avinash Sable joined the Indian Army after completing his 12th grade. He was recruited into the 5th Mahar regiment. During his tenure in the army, he was posted to Siachen, Rajasthan and Sikkim. In the first two years of his regime in the Indian army, Sable was exposed to the harsh weather extremes in both Siachen and Rajasthan.
The tables turned around for Sable in 2015, when he first became a part of the Indian Army’s athletic programme. Soon, his talent as a runner and as an athlete became apparent. During the running expedition, Sable suffered a lot of injuries and gained a lot of weight because of the poor training. Many of his fellow army men were of the opinion that running wasn’t meant for him, but Sable kept hustling.
It was in 2017 that the hustle started paying off. In one of the races in 2017, the army coach Amrish Kumar noticed the courage, strength and intensity that Sable carried with him in every race. The coach invited Sable to experience the steeplechase category and that surely proved to be the game changer in Sable’s rise.
Avinash Sable’s records and Achievements
• Sable holds a national record in the 3000m steeplechase, clocked at 8:11:20s
• Sable holds another National record for half national, clocked at 13:25:65s
• Sable won a silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the Doha 2019 Asian athletics championship.
• Sable won a silver medal at the Birmingham 2022 commonwealth games.
• Sable became the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics in 3000m steeplechase in 68 years.
Sable’s rise has been an incredible one. He has created history in the commonwealth games 2022 as he bagged the title of being ‘first Indian steeplechaser to win a medal for the country’.
