<p>Avinash Sable, who has been on a record-breaking spree for the last four years, has his eyes firmly set on a new target.</p>.<p>The Maharashtra-born athlete first broke a 37-year-old national mark in 3000m steeplechase in the 2018 National Open Championships by clocking 8:29.80. The 27-year-old set a new national mark for the eighth time by finishing in 8:12.48 at the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday in Morocco, finishing a creditable fifth in a high-quality international field. Now, Sable is aiming to break into the sub-eight minute time. </p>.<p>"When I first started competing in steeplechase in 2018, I clocked somewhere around 8.29-30 regularly. I never thought I would reach a stage where I could rise to the margin of 8.12 at any point.</p>.<p>"I think a sub-eight minute mark is definitely possible. Indians are no less capable than their foreign counterparts," Sable said during a virtual interaction recently.</p>.<p>Beating Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Benjamin Kigen en route his fifth-place finish in Rabat has motivated Sable to do better in the World Athletics Championships to be held in Eugene, USA and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next month. </p>.<p>Speaking to the media from Colorado Springs in the USA, Sable credited his progress in the sport to current coach Scott Simmons. "Scott has played a pivotal role ever since I decided to train under him. I have been learning a lot from him. From changes in training schedule to helping me understand new strategies while competing against world-class athletes," he added. </p>.<p>Last month, Sable smashed the 30-year-old men's 5000m national record at a meet in the USA, clocking 13:25.65, bettering Bahadur Prasad's long-standing record of 13:29.70s set in Birmingham in 1992.</p>.<p>But he has no plans to switch to 5000m or any other long distance events just yet. </p>.<p>"My complete focus is on 3000m steeplechase until Paris Olympics 2024. Maybe after that I will slowly move to 5000m and 10,000m. I intend to do half and full marathons in the future as well. But all that can wait for now," he said.</p>
<p>Avinash Sable, who has been on a record-breaking spree for the last four years, has his eyes firmly set on a new target.</p>.<p>The Maharashtra-born athlete first broke a 37-year-old national mark in 3000m steeplechase in the 2018 National Open Championships by clocking 8:29.80. The 27-year-old set a new national mark for the eighth time by finishing in 8:12.48 at the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday in Morocco, finishing a creditable fifth in a high-quality international field. Now, Sable is aiming to break into the sub-eight minute time. </p>.<p>"When I first started competing in steeplechase in 2018, I clocked somewhere around 8.29-30 regularly. I never thought I would reach a stage where I could rise to the margin of 8.12 at any point.</p>.<p>"I think a sub-eight minute mark is definitely possible. Indians are no less capable than their foreign counterparts," Sable said during a virtual interaction recently.</p>.<p>Beating Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Benjamin Kigen en route his fifth-place finish in Rabat has motivated Sable to do better in the World Athletics Championships to be held in Eugene, USA and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next month. </p>.<p>Speaking to the media from Colorado Springs in the USA, Sable credited his progress in the sport to current coach Scott Simmons. "Scott has played a pivotal role ever since I decided to train under him. I have been learning a lot from him. From changes in training schedule to helping me understand new strategies while competing against world-class athletes," he added. </p>.<p>Last month, Sable smashed the 30-year-old men's 5000m national record at a meet in the USA, clocking 13:25.65, bettering Bahadur Prasad's long-standing record of 13:29.70s set in Birmingham in 1992.</p>.<p>But he has no plans to switch to 5000m or any other long distance events just yet. </p>.<p>"My complete focus is on 3000m steeplechase until Paris Olympics 2024. Maybe after that I will slowly move to 5000m and 10,000m. I intend to do half and full marathons in the future as well. But all that can wait for now," he said.</p>
