Gold’s the word for steeplechaser Avinash Sable’s mother!

Avinash Sable created history by becoming the first Indian to qualify for the men's 3000m steeplechase final at the Paris Olympics on Monday night.

Indian sports lovers are now hoping for Sable, 29, to end up with a medal on Thursday night. Mandwa-based Sable's mother Vaishali and her husband Mukund (farmers in a small village of Beed district) are hopeful that their son will win India's first gold in track and field.

"Avinash worked very hard before the last [Tokyo] Olympics, but due to Corona [tested positive in April 2021] his preparations were affected. Now he is well prepared, fully fit and ready for the final," Sable's mother told mid-day from Mandwa on Tuesday.

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When asked which medal she is expecting from her son, Vaishali said: "He will definitely come first. We are all hoping he will win a gold medal. Our blessings are with him, but more than that, he and we have faith in God. We have the Mahadev mandir [also known as Shiv mandir] in our village. We and Avinash have the blessing of Mahadev. Whenever he comes home, he visits the Mahadev mandir.

"We both fast on Shravan Somwar [Shravan Monday]. I don't know whether he has observed fast this time, but maybe he has, because for us, Shravan Somwar is very important."

Mother and son had a small chat over on phone on Monday night. "After his race on Monday, I told him that he was running very well. ‘You will definitely come first,' I said while wishing him for the final. He assured me he will give off his best," remarked Vaishali.