Jeremiah Azu Leads Welsh Foursome Heading for World Championships with GB

Welsh athletics will be strongly represented on the global stage next month after four athletes were named in the Great Britain team for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The championships, which take place from September 13–21, will feature Cardiff sprinter Jeremiah Azu, middle-distance specialist Melissa Courtney-Bryant, multi-eventer Abi Pawlett, and Swansea speedster Hannah Brier, all of whom will wear the GB vest in Japan.

Azu has long been established as one of Britain’s fastest men, and the 23-year-old will get his chance to shine in both the 100 metres and the 4x100m relay. 

The Cardiff athlete, a former European Under-23 champion, will have an opportunity to make amends for his Olympic Games setback last year, when he was disqualified for a false start in the 100m heats in Paris.

Azu did go on to help GB win a bronze medal in the 4x100m realy and he and his team will bid to improve on that at the World Championships.

In the 1500m, Welsh hopes rest with Courtney-Bryant, one of Britain’s most consistent performers over recent years. 

The Poole-born athlete, who has strong Welsh family ties and represents Wales at the Commonwealth Games, has already proven her pedigree with medals on the European stage. 

READ MORE: Jeremiah Azu Is Dreaming Of Olympic Gold . . . Plus Commonwealth Games Glory For Wales

Now she will aim to translate that form onto the world level in Tokyo, where she is expected to face a field stacked with Olympic and World medallists.

Also flying the flag for Wales is Pawlett, a rising star of the heptathlon and Briers, the 27-year-old who had admitted she was not expecting a call-up and had gone ahead and booked a holiday.

Instead, she will be eager to seize her chance on the world stage.

Paula Dunn, Performance Director of UK Athletics said: "We are proud to announce such a strong Novuna GB & NI team for Tokyo. 

READ MORE: Hannah Brier Breaks News Ground With GB Alongside Jeremiah Azu

“This squad combines proven global medallists with exciting emerging athletes, and we are confident they can build on our recent successes at the highest level.

“Our clear ambition is to convert world-class performances into medals, while also developing depth across events for the future. 

“Tokyo will provide the perfect stage to demonstrate the strength of British Athletics, and I know the athletes will rise to the occasion.”

Welsh athletes selected for GB

Women

5000m - Melissa Country-Bryant (Rob Denmark, Poole)

Heptathlon - Abigail Pawlett (Ashley Bryant, Trafford) *

Women’s 4×400m - Hannah Brier (Rhys Williams, Swansea)

Men

100m - Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff)

Men’s 4x100m - Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff)