Asian Games: Sable gets gold in 3000m steeplechase, three days later adds a silver in 5000m

Avinash Sable has become the first Indian man to win a gold medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Games.

On October 1, 2023 (Sunday), at the ongoing edition of the Games in Hangzhou, China, he completed the race in eight minutes, 19.50 seconds, a new Asian Games record. The previous record of 8:22.79 was set by Iran’s Hossein Keyhani at the 2018 Jakarta Games. Following Sable to silver and bronze respectively were Japan’s Ryoma Aoki (8:23.75) and Seiya Sunada (8:26.47).

“ Unlike his energy conservation strategy at the Budapest World Championships, Sable raced ahead to build a distance between himself and the rest of the field and won the race by a massive distance. In the final 50m, Sable turned around to see no one close to him as he approached the end and celebrated as he crossed the finish line,’’ Sportstar noted while reporting Sable’s win.

Three days later, on October 4, Sable treated himself to a silver in the men’s 5000m. Defending champion, Birhanu Yemataw Balew of Bahrain, won the competition by in a new Asian Games record of 13:17.40. Sable followed in 13:21.09 while Dawit Fikadu Admasu of Bahrain secured the bronze in 13:25.63.

Sable holds the national record in the 3000m steeplechase – 8:11.20. That mark was set at the Commonwealth Games in Brimingham in 2022, where Sable took silver. The first Indian to win a gold medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Games was Sudha Singh. She struck gold at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

In addition to his prominence in the steeplechase, Sable holds the national record in the men’s 5000m (13:19.30). He also holds the national record in the half marathon – one hour, 30 seconds (1:00:30) set at the 2020 Delhi Half Marathon.

Parul Chaudhary gets gold in women’s 5000m and silver in women’s 3000m steeplechase

India’s Parul Chaudhary secured the gold medal in the women’s 5000m at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

On October 3, 2023, she clocked 15 minutes, 14.75 seconds to win the race. She was followed to the finish line by Japan’s Ririka Hironaka (15:15.34) and Kazakhstan’s Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui (15:23.12) who took silver and bronze respectively. This was the second track medal for Parul at the current edition of the Games.

Earlier on October 2, 2023, she had won the silver medal in the women’s 3000m steeplechase competition. She finished the race in nine minutes, 27.63 seconds (9:27.63).

Parul holds the women’s national record (9:15.31) in the event. Her compatriot Priti Lamba (9:43.32) placed third in the women’s steeplechase in Hangzhou.

The gold medal went to Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi (9:18.28). The reigning world champion, her timing was a new Asian Games record.

Among India’s versatile distance runners, Parul has a portfolio of disciplines that spans the women’s 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, 10,000m and the marathon.

New course records at 2023 Spartathlon

The 2023 Spartathlon witnessed new course records in both the women’s and men’s races.

American ultrarunner, Camille Heron, who won the women’s race finished in 22 hours, 35 minutes and 25 seconds. This was an improvement in the women’s course record by over two hours, Canadian Running Magazine informed. The previous record was held by Patrycja Bereznowska; 24:48:18 set in 2018. Finnish runners Noora Honkala (23:22:56) and Satu Lipiainen (23:48:28) finished second and third respectively.

In the men’s section, Fotis Zisimopoulos (19:55:02) won with a new course record. The previous record was in the name of Yiannis Kouros (20:25:00) set in 1984, the magazine said. Second place went to Simen Holvik of Norway (22:17:17). Uruguay’s Andres Fernando Roman Martinez (23:32:53) placed third.

Held annually in Greece, Spartathlon has a course length of 246 kilometres.

(The authors, Latha Venkatraman and Shyam G Menon, are independent journalists based in Mumbai. The 2023 Spartathlon timings quoted herein have been taken from the results provided on the race website.)