India’s Avinash Sable finished fifth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday.

On a rainy night at the Olympic Stadium in the Swedish capital, Sable clocked 8:21.88 to finish fifth. Competing in his second steeplechase event of the year, Sable improved on his standings on a night where the conditions were tricky. Though he clocked a slower time than he did at the Rabat Diamond League in May (8:17.18), his fifth-place finish was better than the 10th-placed finish in Rabat.

Sable’s personal best in the steeplechase is the 8:11.20 he set to win silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Reigning Olympic, World and Diamond League Final champion Soufiane El Bakkali finished first with a timing of 8:09.84, well below the 7:56.68 time he set at Rabat in May.

On June 30, reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra returned from injury in style by winning the javelin throw event at the Lausanne meet for his second Diamond League of the season. Long jumper Sreeshankar Murali finished fifth in his second Diamond League meet of the year.

Final standings (Courtesy: Diamond League)