World Athletics Championships Highlights, Day 1: Indian Unit Off to a Shocking Start

India’s challenge at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Hungary was off to a shaky start as day one proved to be testing for the tricolour.

3000m Steeplechase national record holder Avinash Sable failed to make it to the final of the event, while there was no better luck in terms of the men’s triple jump or the women’s long jump event.

The national contingent competing in Budapest will hope for a better second day on Sunday despite the early setback.

The Indian triple jump troika of Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker, and Eldhouse Paul could not seal progress to the final of the event as they failed to make the top 12 in the grid.

Aboobacker registered a jump of 16.61 to come in 15th, while Chithravel finished 20th among the contestants with an effort of 16.38.

Paul’s attempt of 15.59 landed him 29th.

Abdulla Aboobacker is the lone Indian placed in Group A, while the other two Indians in the fray, Praveen Chithravel and Eldhouse Paul, are both drawn in Group B.

17.15m is set as the automatic qualification mark in triple jump or the best 12 will go through to the finals of the event.

Three Indians will feature in the qualification rounds of the triple jump event as Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker, and Eldhouse Paul will eye strong performances in the prelims to earn a place for themselves in the finals of the event.

Ajay Kumar Saroj finished well outside the top 6 in the third heat of the men’s 1500m event, as he came in 13th on the grid.

As a result, the Indian misses out on a chance to seal a place for himself in the semifinal of the event.

However, his timing of 3:38.24 was a personal best for the athlete, who put in his best effort despite the disappointing result.

The third heat of the men’s 1500m qualifiers is underway and the only Indian on track will look to seal the semifinal berth with a top 6 finish.

Ajay Kumar Saroj is placed in the third heat of the men’s 1500m qualifiers.

The Indian will start the heat alongside 14 other participants, from which the top 6 will qualify for the semifinal of the event.

Indian Ajay Kumar Saroj will be seen in action as the 1500m qualifiers get the noon session underway.

The Indian will be hoping to put in a strong performance to make it through to the semifinal of the track event.

Following an electrifying morning session on the opening day, the Championships continue as the evening session gets underway after a brief interval.

Shaili Singh registered an effort of 6.40m in the Group B of her long jump qualification round on Saturday.

Her effort placed her 24th on the grid, missing out on the 12-member cut for the final of the event.

6.80m is the automatic qualification mark to book a place in the final.

Indian long jump sensation Shaili Singh is scheduled to take the field for the qualification round of the women’s long jump event on the opening day of the championships.

She is slotted in Group B alongside 17 other long jumpers from various nations.

The women’s long jump field is split into two groups of 18 participants each, and the top 12 will qualify for the final of the event with 6.80m being the automatic qualifying mark for the final.

Alvaro Martin crossed the finish line ahead of the pack to win the opening event of the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Hungary as the Spaniard won the 20km race walk event.

The 29-year-old clocked a time of 1:17:32 to top the charts and bag the yellow metal.

Swede Perseus Karlstorm came in second, followed by Caio Bonfim who finished third.

Three Indians were also part of the pack as Vikash Singh came in 27th with a timing of 1:21:51, while Paramjeet Singh Bisht clocked 1:24:02 to come in 35th.

Akashdeep Singh finished the race 47th with a time of 1:31:12.

Avinash Sable finished seventh in the first heat of the 300m steeplechase event.

He finished 2.55 seconds behind the Ethiopian Getnet Wale, who timed 8.19.99.

The Indian had his moments during the heat and was seen in the top three positions of the pack during the halfway point in the race, but slipped up towards the end of the course and finished 7th missing out on qualification to the final of the event.

Indian steeplechase ace Avinash Sable will open the Indian charge at the Championships as he gears up for his opening heat in the 300m Steeplechase event on Saturday.

The athletes who finish in the top five of each heat, three in total, will earn a place in the final of the event.

The opening event at the Worlds this year, the men’s 20 kilometres walk, was pushed back by 2 hours due to stormy weather conditions in Budapest.

While the conditions also pushed the events inside the Hungary National Athletics Centre by an hour.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the opening day of the World Athletics Championships underway in Budapest, Hungary.