Avinash Sable, India’s leading steeplechase runner, etched his name into the annals of Indian athletics history by clinching the gold medal in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase at the Asian Athletics Championships, ending a 36-year-long wait for the country in this event.
Born in the dusty interiors of Beed, Maharashtra, where he once ran barefoot alongside trucks and tractors through brick kiln roads to attend school, Sable’s story is one of unyielding grit, perseverance, and transformation. On Thursday, under the lights of Bangkok’s National Stadium, he turned that childhood struggle into a golden stride.
Clocking a dominant finish, Sable not only secured the top podium spot but also reaffirmed his stature as one of Asia’s premier long-distance athletes. India had last tasted gold in this event in 1989, making this win deeply symbolic for a new generation of track and field hopefuls.
“This medal is not just mine,” Sable said post-race. “It belongs to every young athlete who dreams beyond limitations.”
A serving Subedar in the Indian Army, Sable has consistently broken national records and earned global recognition, including a historic silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and a final appearance at the Tokyo Olympics. But this win, many say, is personal — a redemption arc that began on broken village roads and culminated with him standing atop Asia’s most prestigious track podium.
India’s athletic delegation hailed Sable’s victory as a morale-booster in the run-up to the Paris Olympics, calling it a “moment of national pride and resurgence in middle-distance running.”
