Star steeplechaser Avinash Sable to miss World Championships after undergoing ACL surgery
Avinash Sable, the National Games record holder, was injured after a nasty fall during the Monaco Diamond League on July 11, after an athlete ahead of him lost balance and fell during the water jump.
India's star steeplechaser Avinash Sable will miss the World Athletics Championships in September after undergoing ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgery. Sable, who suffered the injury during the Monaco Diamond League earlier this month, went under the knife in a Mumbai hospital under the supervision of well-known surgeon Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala.
The estimated recovery time from an ACL injury is at least six months, which means that the reigning Asian champion and a gold medallist in the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 will miss the world meet in Tokyo (September 13-21). The 30-year-old athlete is expected to return to action next year.
"During the Monaco Diamond League, I suffered an ACL and meniscus injury to my right knee. I've completed my surgery under the expert care of Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team at Kokilaben Hospital, to whom I'm grateful beyond words," Sable wrote in a social media post on Tuesday.
"It’s a tough setback, but I’m determined to do the hard work and come back stronger. Thank you for all your messages of support. I'll be back faster and stronger," he posted along with a picture.
Sable's injury in Monaco turns out to be a major one
The National Games record holder was injured after a nasty fall during the Monaco DL on July 11, after an athlete ahead of him lost balance and fell during the water jump, causing Sable to trip as well. Sable was seen grimacing in pain while grabbing his lower thigh area at the back of the knee.
Sable's formative coach, Amrish Kumar, predicted an early recovery for the athlete, but the injury turned out to be a major one.
The ACL injury comes as a fresh blow for Sable, who has been battling a calf injury since the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. The steeplechaser shook off the injury that had plagued him for over a year and was ready to make a mark in the World Championships, but now has to sit out of the event for which he had sealed a place during the Paris Olympics.
The sports ministry had approved Sable’s training in the USA ahead of the World Championships.
The development comes weeks after Asian champion and national record holder 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji underwent ACL surgery after suffering an injury during a training session.