India’s Avinash Sable finished 11th in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final at the World Athletics Championships on Tuesday. The Maharashtra runner, who had clocked in a personal best of 8:12.48 early this year, finished with 8:31.75, just over six seconds behind gold medallist Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco.
In a slow race, Olympic champion El Bakkali finished 24.58s behind his personal best but still did enough to clinch gold.
El Bakkali took his time before surging into the lead with just under 200m to go at Eugene’s Hayward Field, with a lethal late kick powering him to gold in a time of 8min 25.13sec.
Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma – silver medallist behind El Bakkali at last year’s Tokyo Olympics – was second in 8:26.01.
Kenya’s reigning world champion Conseslus Kipruto took bronze in 8:27.92.
El Bakkali’s victory brought an end to Kenya’s 15-year dominance of the steeplechase at the world championships.
Kenyan runners have won gold in the event in every edition of the championships since Brimin Kipruto’s gold in Osaka in 2007.
With inputs from AFP
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!