Diamond League: Avinash Sable Finishes Fifth In 3000m Steeplechase In Stockholm

India's Commonwealth Games medallist Avinash Sable finished in the men's 3000m steeplechase event in the Stockholm Diamond League 2023 meeting in Stockholm, Sweden on Sunday.

Indian Army's Sable, who won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, clocked 8:21.88 to finish fifth in the event behind Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco who clocked 8:09.84 to win the gold medal in the Olympic Stadium in the Swedish capital.

Gabriel Wale of Ethiopia finished second in 8:12.27 while his compatriot Abrham Sime finished third in 8:16.82.

Sable, who was ranked 14th before the start of the race, had clocked 8:17.18 to finish 10th at the Rabat leg of the Diamond League last month.

It was a slow race for Sable as he could not come anywhere close to his personal best of 8:11.20, which the 28-year-old set in Birmingham last year and is also the National Record for men's 3000m steeplechase.

A spell of rain before the start of the race too might have played a role in the poor timing.