Avinash Sable: Once a mason in Beed, now a Golden steeplechaser

Avinash Sable, 29, worked as a mason in drought-prone Mandwa, a village in Beed district, after an academy in Aurangabad weeded him out as coaches there didn't think he had a future as a distance runner.

3 min readUpdated: Jan 1, 2024 09:07 PM IST

Within two years of being added to the army running programme, Sable broke the 3000-metre national record twice. (X/Narendra Modi)

An Express Investigation: For the last couple of months, 15 reporters gathered data about all of India’s Asian Games medallists in Hangzhou. The analysis provided a few clear-cut trends and some fascinating journeys of athletes that highlight those.

* 50 Number of athletes who come from families with annual income less than Rs 50,000

Avinash Sable, 29, worked as a mason in drought-prone Mandwa, a village in Beed district, after an academy in Aurangabad weeded him out as coaches there didn’t think he had a future as a distance runner. The 12-year-old was spotted by scouts of a state-government scheme but his career had hit a roadblock. Once he finished school, Sable worked for just Rs 100 a day and seemed destined to spend the rest of his life in Mandwa.

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His fortunes changed when he appeared for an army recruitment drive. His younger brother Yogesh says it was a taunt about him being on the heavier side that made Sable take up running during his off-duty hours. By then he has been posted in places with extreme weather; freezing cold Saichen and border town of Lalgarh Jattan, where the temperatures touch nearly 50 degree Celsius.

He participated in a cross-country race organised by the army in Hyderabad. Though he was overweight for a runner, army coach Amrish Kumar took him under his wing. Within two years of being added to the army running programme, Sable broke the 3000-metre national record twice. “I kept him away from oily food. He hadn’t joined the army as a sportsperson but he proved he had the talent by finishing in the top-12 despite being overweight. That in itself was an indicator that he had potential,” Kumar said about how the army gave Sable a stepping stone to success. Sable joined the elite training group at the Army Sports Institute in Pune, which became his second home.

Sable is a naib subedar with the Mahar regiment in the army.

Nihal Koshie

Nihal Koshie is an Associate Editor and sports writer at The Indian Express. He is best known for his in-depth reporting and investigative work that often explores the intersection of sports and social issues. He is also a key member of the sports desk, which is based out of The Indian Express' office in Noida. Professional Background Role: Associate Editor (Sports) at The Indian Express. Key Achievements: He is a two-time winner of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. He won the RNG award for 'Sports Journalism' for 2019 for his exclusive interview and follow up stories with sprinter Dutee Chand, who became the first Indian athlete to say she was in a same-sex relationship. He won his second RNG award in the 'Investigative Reporting' for 2023 for a series of exclusive stories related to sexual harassment charges levelled against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by the country's top women wrestlers. Expertise: While he covers major sports, he is particularly recognized for his extensive reporting on Athletics, investigative stories and long-form news features. Recent Notable Topics & Articles (Late 2025) Nihal Koshie’s recent work reflects a focus on investigative and human-interest stories Recent investigative pieces: He recently wrote a profile of an Indian teenager serving a jail sentence in Kenya after being embroiled in a doping scandal while chasing "Olympic dreams." Wrestling: He continues to track the political and social fallout of the Indian wrestling protests, including the recent public appearances of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the political career of wrestler Vinesh Phogat. Recent long-form features: The story of the rise of Kranti Gaud, the young fast bowler who was a key member of the ICC women's World Cup-winning team; The physics and science behind modern cricket bats Podcast Presence He is a guest and contributor to the "Game Time" podcast by The Indian Express, where he provides technical and social analysis of current sporting events. Experience: 24+ years Previous experience: Times of India (2001-2005), Daily News and Analysis (2005 to 2010) Nihal joined The Indian Express in May, 2010 Social Media X ( formerly Twitter) : @nkoshie You can follow his latest work and full archive on his official author profile. ... Read More

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