Avinash Sable, the silver medalist of the Commonwealth Games in 3000m steeplechase, is determined to bounce back from his disappointing performance at the World Championships and aims to set a new national record while clinching a gold medal at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China.Battling disappointmentSable accpets his dissatisfaction with this season, which included a disappointing seventh-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase heat which restricted him to qualify for finals at the World Championships in Budapest last month. Sable is now in a positive mindset as he approaches the Asian Games.“The Asian Games will be the conclusion of this season. Although I didnt compete for a national record this year, I have my sights set on achieving my personal best timing in Hangzhou. My primary goal is to secure gold in the steeplechase event, and I am also focusing on the 5000 meters,” Sable stated during a virtual media interaction organized by the Inspire Institute of Sport.Dual challengeSables schedule at the Asian Games includes the 3000m steeplechase on October 1 and the 5000m on October 4. While he primarily concentrated on steeplechase this year, he is determined for his readiness for the dual challenge.Avinash Sable sadi,“I havent competed in two events much this year, I was only focusing on steeplechase. In Commonwealth Games, I participated in two events on the same day so I couldnt do well. I have been preparing for two events from March-April this year. I dont have that much experience in 5000m as I have in steeplechase but its good that there are two days for recovery after steeplechase”.The decision to participate in both events at the Asian Games was made after discussions with the coaching staff, considering the competitions high standard and the absence of qualifiers from Indian side, making it a somewhat manageable challenge.Building motivationSable, however, admitted that he had commited several mistakes the World Championships, and the motivation required to bounceback was tough.“I had prepared well for the previous World Championships, and I believed that qualifying would not be difficult due to my peak fitness. Unfortunately, I made a few errors that affected my performance”.
