This is India’s first medal in the category after 36 years.
Avinash Sable made history in Gumi, Korea, on Thursday after winning India’s first men’s 3000m steeplechase gold in 36 years at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025. The two-time Olympian clocked 8:20.92s to take the top podium spot dominantly.
It was a performance that demanded grit, heart, and perfect pacing after Sable was left behind by Japan’s Yutaro Niinae at the bell, but he showed a lot of tenacity and kicked hard in the final lap to surge ahead and win with a comfortable lead.
Niinae settled for silver with a time of 8:24.41s, while Qatar’s Zakaria Elahlaami grabbed bronze in 8:27.12s. Sable’s gold also marks India’s first in this event since 1989, when Dina Ram had won it.
The only other Indian to do so was Harbel Singh in 1975. Thursday’s win also marks Sable’s finest continental triumph yet, having taken silver in the 2019 edition in Doha.
The steeplechase star has had a quiet season so far. He placed 13th in Xiamen and 8th in Shaoxing in his two Diamond League appearances.
But in Gumi, he showed up when it mattered most and delivered a season-best time in Korea.
Also Read: Asian Athletics Championships 2025: Medal Tally and India’s medal winners
For the uninitiated, Sable has already qualified for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo after he clocked 8:14.18s and surpassed the standard entry time of 8:15.00s for the marquee event last year at the Paris Olympics.
The gold also sparked a golden streak for India. Just moments after Sable’s win, Jyothi Yarraji broke a 27-year-old championship record in the women’s 100m hurdles with a stunning 12.96s run.
As of when the report is published, India’s total at the championships stands at nine medals—four gold, four silver, and one bronze.
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