That’s Tallinn! Welsh Athletics Prospects Jeremiah Azu And Joe Brier Heading For Estonia For Euro 23 Champs

By Owen Morgan

Two of Wales’ brightest young sprinters have been selected to represent Great Britain at next month’s European Under-23 Championships in Estonia.
Jeremiah Azu and Joe Brier are part of a 54-strong team travelling to Tallinn for the championships which start on July 8.

Cardiff athlete Azu will be particularly pleased to be selected after the disappointment of pulling up injured in the final of the European Under-20 100m two years ago.

The then 18-year-old was just yards from victory when he pulled up sharply, clutching his hamstring in agony.

Having cruised through the rounds, Azu was clear of the field after 60m when injury struck and ended his race.

We have more great news! Congratulations to @joebrier99 & @Jeremiah_Azu on their selection to represent Great Britain at the European Team Championships!! https://t.co/XN29uVtoMh

— Welsh Athletics (@WelshAthletics) June 29, 2021

Last month Azu told Dai Sport of his desire to reach this year’s Under-23 championships in order to put that memory behind him.

“Hopefully I’m going to run the under 23s,” said Azu after a winning performance at the Welsh Athletics Run With the Wind event in Cardiff.

Jeremiah Azu Finally Has The Wind At His Back . . . And Redemption On His Mind

“I think that’s something that’s not an option. I need to be there. I need to go back. Certain people think they won that race, but everyone knows what happened!”

So far this season Azu has won silver in the 100m at the England Under-20 and Under-23 championships and reached the final of the 100m at the Muller British Athletics Championships last weekend, running a season’s best 10.38 on the way.

Joining Azu in Tallinn will be Brier, who has happier memories of competing at European age grade championships.

Joe Brier competed for GB at European Indoor Champs in Poland. Pic: Alex Livesey – British Athletics via Getty Images

In 2019 Brier was part of the Great Britain 4x400m relay team which won silver at the European Under-23 Championships in Sweden.

That medal added to the bronze won by Brier in the 4x400m at the World Junior Championships in Finland the previous year.

The Swansea Harrier has been in fine form this season having lowered his personal best to 45.84 and bagged a bronze medal for Great Britain in the 4x400m relay at the European Indoor Championships in Poland.

Michael Afilaka, team leader for Tallinn, said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to select such a strong team to go to Tallinn.

“There were some impressive performances from the athletes at the age-group Championships in Bedford and the British Championships this weekend which sets us up well for the Europeans.

“The team has a good mix of experience and developing talent and I am looking forward to some great competition out in Tallinn.”

The British team for the European U23 Championships:

Men

100m

Dominic Ashwell (Marvin Rowe, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James, Cardiff)

Brandon Mingeli (Ryan Freckleton, Cambridge Harriers)

200m

Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow)

Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester)

400m

Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)

Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)

800m

Finlay McLear (Exeter)

Ben Pattison (Dave Ragan, Basingstoke and Mid Hants)

Thomas Randolph (Craig Winnow, Tamworth)

1500m

Tiarnan Crorken (Andy Bibby, Preston)

Josh Lay (Anthony Love, Rugby & Northampton)

George Mills (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix)

5000m

Issac Akers (Bill Boyd, Crosby)

Rory Leonard (Morpeth)

Tom Mortimer (Christopher Brown, Stroud)

10,000m

David Melville (Harvard Uni)

110m Hurdles

Tade Ojora (Caryl Smith-Gilbert, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)

Josh Zeller (Adrian Brown, Bracknell AC)

400m Hurdles

Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)

Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash)

High Jump

Joel Khan (Deidre Elmhurst, Worcester)

Hammer

Ben Hawkes (Adrian Palmer, Cardiff)

4 x 100m Relay

Dominic Ashwell (Marvin Rowe, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James, Cardiff)

Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow)

Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester)

Brandon Mingeli (Ryan Freckleton, Cambridge Harriers)

Destiny Ogali (Winston Thomas, Dacorum & Tring)

4 x 400m Relay

Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)

Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)

Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash)

Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)

Lewis Davey (Newham & Essex Beagles)

Ethan Brown (Clarence Callender, Bromley & Blackheath)

Aidan Leeson (Glyn Hawkes, Rugby & Northampton)

 

Women

100m

Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas, Herne Hill)

Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh AC)

200m

Georgina Adam (Joe McDonnell, Loughborough Students)

Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)

Kiah Dubarry-Gay (Clarence Callender, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets)

400m

Yasmin Liverpool (Stewart Marshall, Coventry)

800m

Izzy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey)

Khahisa Mhlanga (Mick Judd, Herts Phoenix)

1500m

Erin Wallace (Andy Young, Giffnock North)

5000m

Eleanor Bolton (Chris Barnes, Ribble Valley Harriers)

Izzy Fry (Mick Woods, Newbury)

10000m

Eleanor Bolton (Chris Barnes, Ribble Valley Harriers)

100m Hurdles

Jenna Blundell (Toni Minichiello, Bristol & West)

Anastasia Davies (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley)

400m Hurdles

Zoe Pollock (Nick Dakin, Oxford City)

3000m Steeplechase

Sarah Tait (Linda Smith, Lasswade)

Elise Thorner (Wells City)

Pole Vault

Molly Caudrey (Stuart Caudery, Thames Valley)

Long Jump

Lucy Hadaway (Matt Barton, City of York)

Javelin

Bekah Walton (David Turner, Blackheath & Bromley)

Hammer

Anna Purchase (Rob Careless, Notts)

Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Robert Halliwell, Wigan & District)

Heptathlon

Holly Mills (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Andover)

Jade O’Dowda (Toni Minichiello, Newham & Essex Beagles)

Jodie Smith (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)

4 x 100m Relay

Georgina Adam (Joe McDonnell, Loughborough Students)

Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas, Herne Hill)

Ellie Booker (Lewis Samuel, Rotherham)

Kiah Dubarry-Gay (Clarence Callender, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets)

Cassie-Ann Pemberton (Sharon Morris, Birchfield Harriers)

Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh AC)

4x 400m Relay

Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)

Izzy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey)

Hannah Kelly (Les Hall, Bolton)

Yasmin Liverpool (Stewart Marshall, Coventry)

Zoe Pollock (Nick Dakin, Oxford City)