bengaluru one of indias main hopes avinash sable faded away in the last 200 metres to crash out of the mens 3000m steeplechase after finishing seventh in heat 1 on the opening day of the world athletics championships in budapest on saturdaythe commonwealth games silver medallist did everything right in the slowpaced race but lost steam after the last bend clocking over 16 seconds in his last two 100m splits even as japans ryoma aoki did a sub14 in the final 100m to bag the fifth and last automatic berth in the final scheduled for tuesdayethiopian getnet wale won in 81999s while aoki timed his seasons best of 82054ssable who came into the worlds after training in the usa and switzerland and with a seasons best time of 81163s was second at the 500m mark fifth at 1k sixth at 15k third at 2k and sixth at the bell he was fourth with 200m to go and then disaster struck the armyman clocked 82224s nearly 11 seconds slower than his seasons best a repeat of which would have even helped him win the race his personal best is 81120 clocked at the cwg last yearthis was the first event after world athletics announced that the top5 from each of the three heats would enter the final thus removing the qualification route for fastest losers a last lap of 61plus is decent by sables standards a top middle distance coach told toi though he lost out sable has clocked a good time compared to the pace of the race it looks like he got his strategy wrong had it been the old rule he would have qualified as he is 14th based on the timesolympic and defending champion soufiane el bakkali of morocco and world record holder girma lamecha of ethiopia advanced from their respective heats to set the stage for a mouthwatering battle el bakkali finished second in heat 2 in 82366s while girma won heat 3 in 81589s