NEW DELHI: Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the 3000m steeplechase, Avinash Sable, is determined to rebound from his disappointment at the World Championships and aims to establish a new national record while securing a gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Acknowledging his dissatisfaction with the current season, which included a disappointing seventh-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase heat at the World Championships in Budapest last month, resulting in his failure to qualify for the final, Sable is eager to turn the tide at the Asian Games.
He believes that he is in a positive state of mind and is poised to achieve his best performance of the season in Hangzhou.
"The Asian Games will be my season's last race. This year I didn't run any race for national record but I hope to clock my best timing in Hangzhou. I will be running for timing in Asian Games. The training I had, I hope to record my personal best and win the race," the long-distance runner said in a virtual media interaction facilitated by Inspire Institute of Sport.
In Hangzhou, besides 3000m steeplechase, his pet event, Sable will also compete in 5000m race.
"I am confident about steeplechase and my main aim is to win gold in that event but I am also focussing on 5,000 metres," he said.
While Sable will compete in 3000m steeplechase on October 1, his second event -- 5000m -- is on October 4.
"I haven't competed in two events much this year, I was only focussing on steeplechase. In Commonwealth Games, I participated in two events on the same day so I couldn't do well. I have been preparing for two events from March-April this year. I don't have that much experience in 5000m as I have in steeplechase but it's good that there are two days for recovery after steeplechase," he said.
"The decision to participate in two events in the Asian Games was taken after discussions with the coaching staff. Considering the standard in the Asian Games and with no qualifier, it's a bit easy."
Sable, however, admitted that it was tough to get his motivation back after the World Championships, where he made mistakes.
"My preparation for the last World Championships was good. I thought qualifying won't be tough because I was feeling 100 per cent in terms of my fitness. But I made a few mistakes. Sometimes the body doesn't react in tactical races. I don't think we lacked in pace.
"I fumbled in the last water jump. I feel I gave up the race early, I never left the race in the last 200m. I didn't give my best that day," he said.
"I learnt a lot from that race. When the race becomes slow, slow runners can also finish better. I learnt to give my best in the first race and then think about the final.
"My fitness was good so I though the race would be easy. I learnt that I need to race according to your strong points."
Sable said at that time his coaches fully backed him and together they worked on his flaws to prepare him for the Asian Games.
"After the World Championships, I thought the results were not coming despite being at the peak of my fitness. I was a little down because I had worked very hard but my coaches motivated me. We went to the US and prepared there for the Asian Games. I can't sit back and think about what has happened in the past," he said.
"My strong points became weak. My hurdles and water jumps were not good this year. But I have worked hard on my workout sessions, hurdles and technique, made a lot of changes in training methods and I am feeling confident all this will work in the Asian Games."
Sable also doesn't feel the weather will have an impact on his performance in Hangzhou.
"The weather in Hangzhou will be similar to Bengaluru, where I am training. The last three months in Colorado, US was pleasant till March after that it was hot, so I think weather conditions won't have much effect on performance."
(With PTI inputs)
