Tokyo Olympics Day 7, 30th July Athletics LIVE: Disappointing start for Indians on the opening day of athletics - Updates, results, commentary, blog

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 2

Take a bow Avinash Sable!!

The heat ends and while Avinash Sable finishes seventh, he does manage to set a new national record of 8:18.12 which is a massive improvement on the previous timing of 8:21.37 also set by Sable.

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 2

Well, well, well. 

Eritrea's, Yemane Haileselassise has just set off and is currently leading the race after the 2000m mark. He's closely followed by Abraham Kibiwot in second.

Avinash Sable is currently running seventh as we head to the final 1000m.

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 2

At the first 1000m mark, Avinash Sable has made a good start and is currently in 6th place.

Zak Seddon, Getnet Wale, and Abraham Kibiwot make up the top 3.

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 2

Here's the moment we've been waiting for, Avinash Sable in action.

The athletes take their mark for the start of the race and we will be closely watching on Ethiopia's Getnet Wale and Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot who are touted to be medal favourites.

The race begins.

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 1

Girma comes first

Lamecha Girma maintained the lead throughout and looked like he had more in the tank even after the end of the race. Japan's Ryuji Miura edged Kenya's Benjamin Kigen in the final lap to finish second, as the Japanese set a new national record with a time of 8:09.92.

All three athletes advance to the final!!

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 1

5 Laps to go

Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia is leading the race after the first 2000m followed by Kenya's Benjamin Kigen. We started with fifteen but we've already had two athletes pulling out during the race. 

Men's 3000m Steeplechase - Heat 1

And away they go in the first heat.

A major name missing this year is Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto, who has the Olympic Record with a time of 8:03.28 which he achieved in Rio 2016.

Minutes away from some Steeplechase action

The men's 3000m Steeplechase will begin in a few minutes.

India's Avinash Sable, who will be the first Indian since 1952 to participate in the event at the Olympics, will be action in heat 2.

Women's 100m Preliminary round - Heat 3

Joella Lloyd of Antigua and Barbuda started slowly but covered up in the final 50m as she won the round with a time of 11.55 seconds as she looked very comfortable in the end.

Asimenye Simwaka and Alvin Teheupeiory finish second and third respectively. All three athletes advance to the first round.

Carla Scicluna will also race in round 1 as she was fastest amongst the rest in all three heats.

Women's 100m Preliminary round - Heat 2

Talk about margins.

In the second heat of the prelims, Fasihi Farzaneh from Iran finishes first while Azreen Nabila Alias of Malaysia came second and was behind by just 0.01 seconds. Both the athletes along with Kuwait's, Mudhawi Alshammari make up the top 3 and qualify for the next round.