Sable breaks 37-year-od steeplechase record

Avinash Sable ended the 58th Open National Athletics Championships with a new national record, erasing the 37-year-old mark in the men's 3000m steeplechase here on Friday.

Sabale, representing Services, clocked 8:29.80 seconds at the Kalinga Stadium to go past the old mark of 8:30.88 seconds recorded by Gopal Saini in Tokyo in 1981.

Sable was far ahead of the rest of the field. The 24-year-old beat out Services teammate Rakesh Kumar Swami, who clocked a time of 8:47.31 seconds. Making it an all Services podium was Durga Bahadur Budha, who recorded a time of 8:48.29 seconds.

Another star performer of the competition was Services sprinter Sanjit, who added the 200m title to the 100m gold he had won earlier in the competition.

Sanjit clocked a time of 21.30 seconds to finish well clear of Punjab's Gurlal Singh, who clocked a time of 21.66 seconds. K Ashok of Services finished with a bronze medal after clocking an identical time of 21.66 seconds but was lost out on a silver medal by ...