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

Jeremiah Azu bowed out at the semi-final stage of the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday.

Drawn in a high quality line-up, the Great Britain and Cardiff Athletics sprinter looked desperately disappointed to finish in fourth place.

Finishing outside the top two meant Azu missed out on automatic qualification for the final.

The World Indoor 60m champion’s time of 10.05 was also not quite quick enough to see him go through as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.

Azu looked relaxed before the race, despite a delay and the stellar line-up competing in his semi-final.

Wales’ fastest man typically got out to a fast start, but reigning World and Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles, of the USA, and rising Nigerian star Kanyinsola Ajayi came through to take the top spots. 

Former Commonwealth Games champion Akani Simbine, of South Africa, was third.

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

The final was won by Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, who took the title in a new personal best of 9.77.

“To win this gold medal is something special to me,"  said Seville.

"Track and field is both mental and physical. But, to be honest, I think I have mastered the mental part of it.

"Other people are doing and talking about other things, but I just focus on me and that is why I managed to get this victory."

READ MORE: Jeremiah Azu Leads Welsh Foursome Heading for World Championships with GB

On Saturday, Azu had qualified for the semi-final automatically by finishing third in his first round heat. 

Running into a headwind, Azu started well and crossed the line in 10.10 to progress.

After his heat, the 24-year-old said: “It was pretty smooth. I got out well, transitioned quite well and maintained it. I didn’t want to leave it to chance. I made sure I qualified top three.

“It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve raced, so it was just to get back into that rhythm and we did that. It felt good, the track’s quick. I’m ready to roll, I’m excited for what’s next. I’m confident in my abilities.”

Azu will now turn his attention to the 4x100m where he is part of the Great Britain relay squad.

Last year, Azu ran the first leg in the GB team which claimed a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics – becoming the first Welsh track and field athlete in 28 years to win a medal at the Games.

The relay heats take place on Saturday, September 20.