New Delhi: Avinash Sable has no qualms in accepting that 2024 was among his worst in recent years. The 30-year-old turned up in his pet event — 3000m steeplechase — in six competitions last year and barring the Paris Diamond League in July, where he rewrote his national record for the 11th time (8:09.91), there was nothing to gloat about. At the Olympics, Sable became the first Indian male steeplechaser to make the final, but an 11th-place finish with a time of 8:14.18 didn’t do justice to the promise he had shown in the couple of years leading up to Paris.
“It was one of my worst years on the circuit. I performed way below my expectations. We train for four years for the Olympics but when the moment came, I just could not deliver,” Sable said. Paris was not the first time Sable had combusted at the big stage. After failing to make the final at Tokyo Olympics, he had a forgettable World Championships final (8:31.75) in 2022 where he finished 11th.
He redeemed himself admirably at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in less than three weeks to finish second (8:11.20), a feat that ended Kenya’s 28-year undisputed reign over the discipline. Next year, he became the first Indian man to win the steeplechase at the Hangzhou Asian Games and looked primed for a strong show at the Olympics. That’s when things started going downhill.
Sable developed persistent breathing trouble caused by nasal septum deviation, and to make matters worse, his right calf gave way in the off-season. “The two issues, I believe, combined to slow me down. My calf would hurt after just 2-3 laps and by the time the race ended, the pain would consume my hamstring. I was also struggling with my breathing which meant I was always huffing and puffing,” he said.
With no major competitions until the Asian Championships in May, Sable had enough time post Paris have a closer look at his body and preparation. After a short trip to his home in Beed, he went under the knife in October to address the nasal issue. A month of rehab later, he checked into the SAI facility in Bengaluru — where he is currently based — and began his off-season. Strength, he was told, was a major issue that caused soreness in his calf.
“A good rehab and targeted training helped me get rid of the pain. For the first time in 2-3 years, I am completely pain-free,” he said. “I believe I am capable of a consistent top-six finish in elite competitions. Commonwealth and Asian Games are great but I feel I need to graduate to the World and Olympic level because I have the potential.”
The unfulfilled potential and the realisation that he had hit a wall after the Hangzhou high mean Sable is keen on moving on from his American coach Scott Simmons in this cycle. He is also on the lookout for new training venues, preferably in Kenya, Ethiopia, or Morocco.
“I think unless we don’t change, we won’t get the results we desire,” he said. “I am at a stage where I can think for myself. I have great respect for Scott who has got me this far, but that push towards the Olympic or World Championships medal probably needs a change in training methods, approach, or venue.”
While a bunch of Indian athletes are currently training under Simmons in Colorado Springs, Sable is happy to coach himself. He has devised his own training plans, gleaned largely from his “best off-season” that he had two years back, and tracks his progress on a weekly basis.
“I need a coach but I am not desperate. I want to train in a small, specialised group since steeplechase is a very technical discipline. I have trained in the US for two seasons which was great, but the training group was too large for my liking,” he assessed.
Simmons would train about 12-15 athletes in his camp and the group was a mix of 5k, 10k and marathon runners along with steeplechase athletes.
“A group of 10 or less athletes would be ideal. I am also open to different training routines so that I don’t plateau. I never paid any attention to strength training earlier but that will be a major part of my routine now,” he said.
Sable is also in touch with a German coach — whose identity he doesn’t wish to disclose yet — and plans to begin his steeplechase training next month. He will open his season at the Xiamen Diamond League in China on April 26 and will also compete in the Shanghai DL on May 3.
“I might appear in some 1500m or 5000m events in India in March-April, but the steeplechase season will begin with the twin DLs in China,” he said.
Another of Sable’s wishes is to have more Indians joining him in overseas training and competitions, something he feels will push him. “I have seen that with Kenyans and Ethiopians who have multiple runners in big finals. They can pace themselves or plan tactics. In my case, it gets very lonely,” he said.
