Avinash Sable fades to 11th in 3000m steeplechase final

Avinash Sable left it too late in a slow and tactical 3000m steeplechase final to finish a disappointing 11th at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene.

Sable, 27, who has repeatedly broken his national record even in tough races, twice this season alone with a personal best of 8:12.48s at the Diamond League in Rabat last month, clocked 8:31.75s at the Hayward Field. The way the race unfolded, it was not about timing as much as it was about tactics from start to finish. It proved the slowest 3000m steeplechase final in the history of the world meet.

The 15 runners were bunched for the most part of the race with Sable staying towards the rear of the group. Morocco's Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali then timed his late burst to perfection to win in a timing of 8:25.13s. Ethiopia's Tokyo silver medallist Lamecha Girma took silver (8:26.01s), pushing Kenyan defending champion Conseslus Kipruto to third (8:29.92s).

El Bakkali was emotional as he was embraced by family and friends, having ended Kenya’s domination in the event at the world championships. For the first time since 2005, Kenya did not win an event it has historically dominated with great team tactics.

The world leading time this season is El Bakkali's 7:58.28s. It was a pointer to the slow pace of the race. Unlike in the heats where Sable was leading till the halfway mark and set himself up to finish third (8:18.75s) and earn direct qualification to the final, the Indian chose to play the waiting game in the final. Nobody wanted to set the pace and the pack moved at an unhurried pace, waiting for someone to break free and take the rest along.

It was all working well for El Bakkali who is known for his explosive burst in the final stretch, while it would be a big disappointment for Sable, who has made it a habit to push himself in every race even if a podium place was out of reach. But on Monday evening in Eugene, he seemed to be sucked into the race tactics.

By the halfway mark, Kipruto was marginally ahead (4:24.80s); El Bakkali at 8th place, but just 0.66secs adrift. Sable was 10th, 0.87secs slower. As the pace increased in the closing stages, Sable failed to keep up. With 500m left, Eritrea's Yamane Haileselassie took the lead with Kipruto, El Bakkali, Girma, Getnet Wale, Hailemariyam Amare all close behind. El Bakkali then stepped up the tempo and had enough left in him to make the dash for the finish in the last 200m.

Sable, who has broken the national record eight times, was competing in his second world championships final and would have learnt his lessons competing against a quality field in Eugene.

“I am very happy to win my first world title after the Olympic gold,” El Bakkali said. “The race was very difficult; it was very tactical and slow. I positioned myself well on the last lap. I am very strong in the 400m and it worked out for me,” El Bakkali said.

Girma: “The pace was very slow today,” he said. “My tactic did not work and that cost me the gold. I was trying to change the tactic but the pace limited me very much. I will go for gold next year and my training is starting from now on.”

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