Since his emergence a few years ago, Avinash Sable has quickly cemented his status as Indias leading long-distance runner of this generation. Born on September 13, 1994, in the modest village of Mandwa in Maharashtras Beed district, Sables journey to athletic prominence is nothing short of remarkable. Growing up in a family of farmers, Sable endured many hardships, including running six kilometers daily to attend school due to the lack of public transportation.Joining Indian army: A turning pointInitially, Sable had no aspirations in sports and decided early on to join the Indian Army to support his family. After completing his 12th grade, he enlisted and became part of the 5 Mahar Regiment, serving in extreme conditions from the frigid Siachen Glacier to the scorching deserts of Rajasthan. It wasnt until 2015, when he joined the Armys athletics program, that Sable was introduced to competitive running. His natural talent quickly shone through, and within a year, he was part of the Services team that won the National Cross Country Championship.Overcoming adversity and finding his pathSables journey was not without setbacks. An injury and a period of inactivity led to significant weight gain, prompting some to doubt his future in athletics. However, Sable used this skepticism as motivation, shedding over 15 kilograms and returning to the sport with renewed vigor. In 2017, Army coach Amrish Kumar recognized Sables potential and encouraged him to try the steeplechase. He had strength and endurance from his rural background and excelled in cross-country. Seeing his jumps in training, we decided to move him to steeplechase, Kumar told Scroll.in.Rapid ascent and national recordsThe transition to steeplechase proved transformative for Sable. He finished fifth at the 2017 Federation Cup and narrowly missed the national record at the Open Nationals in Chennai. Despite critics doubting the feasibility of breaking the record domestically, Sable remained undeterred. In 2018, he overcame a broken ankle to set a new national record at the Open Nationals in Bhubaneswar with a time of 8:29.88, breaking a 37-year-old record.Challenges and triumphs on the international stageSables success continued, but not without challenges. The rigorous training methods of Russian coach Nikolai Snesarev did not suit him, leading to a temporary consideration of quitting. Instead, Sable parted ways with Snesarev and reunited with coach Amrish Kumar, focusing on strength training and acclimatization. This partnership bore fruit when Sable broke his national record again at the 2019 Federation Cup in Patiala, clocking 8:28.94. This performance qualified him for the IAAF World Championships in Doha, making him the first Indian male steeplechaser at the worlds since 1991.Historic achievements and Olympic dreamsIn April 2019, Sable secured a silver medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, marking his international debut. His landmark moment came at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, where he shattered his national record twice. Initially failing to qualify for the final, a successful appeal by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) due to obstruction allowed him entry, where he finished 13th with a time of 8:21.37, securing his place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.Despite setting another national record in the heats at Tokyo, Sable narrowly missed the finals in his Olympic debut. Nonetheless, his journey from a modest village to the Olympic stage has firmly placed him in the annals of Indian athletics history, inspiring future generations of runners.
