Jeremiah Azu Now Rules Europe And The World . . . And Has Outdoor Title In His Sights

Jeremiah Azu has admitted to feeling more than a little emotional after he followed his conquest of Europe by ruling the world.

The Welsh sprint star’s rise continued when he followed up his European Indoor Championship victory with a stunning gold in the men’s 60m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships on Friday. 

His back-to-back triumphs come just weeks after becoming a father for the first time, making this an unforgettable period in his life and career.

The 23-year-old from Cardiff stormed to victory in Nanjing, China, edging out Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy by the narrowest of margins. 

Azu, who had already impressed with a 6.52 in his semi-final, clocked a personal-best-matching 6.49 to clinch the title. 

His initial reaction was disbelief when he saw Kennedy’s name listed first on the scoreboard, but once the correction came through and his victory was confirmed, he erupted in celebration.

“When I saw that it was me, I just exploded, it was just raw emotion,” said Azu, who became Britain’s first world indoor 60m champion since Richard Kilty in 2014. 

“There hasn’t been a European and world champion in the same year so that’s a bit of history there. When you hear those words together, it really hits a place.

"I said at the Europeans I want to take over the world — and this is just the start of our journey."

His triumph in Nanjing cements Azu’s status as one of the most exciting sprint talents on the global stage, especially after the heartbreak of the Tokyo Olympics, where he was disqualified from the 100m heats. 

READ MORE: Jeremiah Azu Claims European Gold Days After Becoming a Father
 

Although he salvaged a bronze in the 4x100m relay, that experience prompted him to make a bold move—leaving his training set-up in Italy to reunite with his former coach, Helen James, in Cardiff.

“This one definitely goes to Helen,” Azu admitted. 

“Being back now with my family and Helen, having that support team around me is huge. They allow me to believe in myself.

“The last few years have been very difficult for me. It’s so important to surround yourself with people that believe in you and that care about you.”

As Azu looks ahead to the outdoor season, his focus shifts to the 100m, with the World Championships in Tokyo in September now firmly in his sights.

“This gives me massive confidence,” he added. “The plan is to keep on winning. The sky isn't the limit — there is way, way more than that. Let's see what the summer brings. I'm excited for it.”

Elsewhere at the World Indoor Championships, GB & NI enjoyed a strong first day. 

In the men’s 1500m heats, Neil Gourley executed a well-controlled race, timing his move perfectly to claim victory in his heat with 3:36.60.

READ MORE: Jeremiah Azu Aims for Brotherly Boost now he is Back Home in Wales

“I’m happy with the way I executed tonight,” said Gourley. “It was always in the plan to go to the back and wait for the race to unfold and when it felt like the pace was slowing down a little bit to just move.

“As soon as that happened, I did and was able to take control and wind it up the last three laps and I’m quite happy with the way I wound up. Seems like people weren’t hanging on going into the last hundred so happy with the way I was able to control it.”

However, his teammate Adam Fogg was not as fortunate, finishing sixth in his heat and missing out on the final.

“I was getting overtaken, so I moved out pretty hard, hit the front and was working really hard to hang on to that spot because once I’d gone, I knew there was no looking back from that point,” reflected Fogg.

“But I was pretty much running all-out not gaining any distance and pretty much holding that lead until I wasn’t. And when I wasn’t I was going backwards, there was nothing more I could do.”

It was a similar tale in the women’s 1500m, where Georgia Hunter Bell secured her place in the final, finishing first in her heat with 4:09.21.

“I’m glad to get a run out before the big one,” said Hunter Bell. 

“The goal was just to stay in the top two or three for the whole round so I could cover any moves. There were a few different moves made by a few different people, so it was just about staying alert and then I wanted a clear run in on the last lap and lucky I was able to do that.”

Revee Walcott-Nolan, however, was unable to advance after placing fifth in her heat.

“I don’t know how to describe that – I felt really good throughout, but I felt a bit flat today,” she said. “I got clipped today, lost contact with the group and I just couldn’t bring it back which is really disappointing, but I am in a lot better shape than that. 

READ MORE: Wales’ Olympic Hopeful Jeremiah Azu Is Built For Calm As Well As Speed
“I knew it would be tough to make the final today, but I’m really gutted that I didn’t.”

Another standout performance came from Amber Anning, who powered through the 400m heats with a personal-best 50.59, ensuring her place in Saturday’s final.

“It felt good, it felt smooth. I wanted to run a 50-point to set me up nicely for the final tomorrow and get me a good lane, so it felt really smooth, and the track feels fast,” said Anning.

“(Since Apeldoorn) I’ve prayed a lot, worked with the coach and put my head down and trained hard for this. I haven’t really thought about it too much. I was a little bit anxious but leading up to these champs I had a chance to go on the track and get a block start in before the competition which eased my nerves.”

With one gold already secured, GB & NI will be looking to build on their strong start as the World Indoor Championships continue.