Athlete Avinash Sable, buoyed by the success in his maiden Diamond League appearance in Morocco where he smashed the national record in men’s 3000m steeplechase yet again, is now aiming for a sub-eight minute time.

“When I first started competing in steeplechase way back in 2018, I regularly used to clock somewhere around 8.29-30. I never thought I would reach a stage where I could rise to the margin of 8.12 at any point.

“That said, I think a sub-eight minute mark is definitely possible, and, Indians are no less capable than their foreign counterparts,” Sable said during a virtual interaction on Friday.

Sable clocked 8.12.48 at the recently-concluded Diamond League in Rabat, bettering his own national record by over three seconds.

Sable, in fact, pipped 2020 Tokyo Games bronze medallist Benjamin Kigen, and finished fifth. The athlete stated that the feat will allow him to prepare better for the upcoming World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

“It was my maiden appearance at the Diamond League and to me it’s akin to performing at the Olympics or the World Championships final. This will allow me to have a better preparation leading up to the World Championships and at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.”

Sable also said that the Diamond League participation has been a huge learning curve for him and mentioned that competing in world-class events would allow him to further hone his skills.