Beaten Jeremiah Azu Vows to Come Back Stronger and Faster

The defending champion was edged out of the podium places in Poland by the narrowest of margins, finishing fourth in 6.46 seconds — just 0.01 behind the bronze medal position — in what was widely hailed as an all-time classic sprint final.

Top of those targets he will now focus on are next year’s World Athletics Championships in China, followed by the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Twelve months on from securing his first global crown, Azu returned determined to defend his title and showed outstanding form throughout the competition.

READ MORE: Jeremiah Azu Double Paves the Way for Welsh Glory at UK Indoor Championships

The 24-year-old delivered a personal best of 6.45 seconds in the semi-finals, setting a new Welsh record and moving to second on the British all-time list behind Dwain Chambers.

In the final, however, he came up against an exceptional field. 

Jordan Anthony lived up to his billing as the fastest man in the world this year, storming to gold in 6.41 seconds — the joint fourth-fastest time in history. 

READ MORE: Jeremiah Azu Turns Attention to Relay After 100m Semi-Final Agony

Kishane Thompson and Trayvon Bromell both clocked 6.45 to claim silver and bronze respectively, leaving Azu agonisingly short.

Yet despite the immediate disappointment, Azu was keen to frame the experience as part of a bigger journey, underlining his belief that his best years are still ahead of him.

“It’s a tough one to take, but I am proud that I came and tried to defend my title,” said the Cardiff athlete.

“I fell short and it hurts a lot, but that’s track and field. You live and you learn and you get better. 

“I am defiantly at the start of my peak; I’ve got four or five more years of crazy good times.

“It’s good to be on the worlds start line again and I’m excited for the future, but ultimately right now I’m disappointed. 

“For me, the final is never about the times I run, it’s about a medal.”

READ MORE: Wales Star Jeremiah Azu Insists: “I’m in the Shape of my Life” on eve of World Championships

That forward-looking mindset was echoed in his immediate post-race reaction, even as the sting of missing out lingered.

"It's tough. I was very vocal about defending that [title] and I fell short.

"It's track and field - you win some you lose some. I'm still able to use this gift to try and inspire people. But it's tough to take right now."

Azu’s performance was all the more impressive given the quality of the race itself, with experts quick to underline the historic nature of the final.

“They didn't let us down. These guys did what we expected them to do,” said Colin Jackson on BBC TV.

“An electric performance - we've witnessed one of the best 60m races of all time so that's a very special thing in itself, and Jeremiah Azu was in the mix.

“Azu got out very sharp - he's one of the fastest starters in the world - but Anthony was out a little bit ahead and did what was necessary.”

Ultimately, while the podium eluded him this time, the margins told their own story. Azu was just a hundredth of a second away from another global medal in a race of extraordinary depth and quality.

For Azu, the overriding emotion was one of frustration mixed with determination. Having proven he can compete with — and push — the very best in the world, his attention is already shifting to what comes next.

In a race that will be remembered for its quality and razor-thin margins, Azu may have missed the podium, but his performance reinforced that his time at the top of the sport is far from over.