Britain’s Jeremiah Azu declared that “the sky isn’t the limit” after sprinting to victory in the 60m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, securing his first global title.
Just 13 days after earning his first individual international gold at the European Indoors, Azu matched his personal best of 6.49 seconds to become a world champion. In a dramatic finish, he edged out Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy by just one-hundredth of a second. Initially, the big screen showed Kennedy as the winner, leaving Azu with his hands on his head in disbelief. Moments later, when the official results confirmed his victory, the 23-year-old sprinted away in pure joy.
This triumph capped off a whirlwind month for Azu, who also welcomed the birth of his son just a week before his European title win.
“I knew I could win it. At the Europeans, I said I wanted to take over the world, and this is just the beginning,” an emotional Azu told ‘BBC Sport’. “The plan is to keep winning. The sky isn’t the limit there’s so much more beyond that. Let’s see what the summer brings. I’m excited for it.”
A Transformative Year for Azu
Azu’s journey to world champion status has been shaped by significant personal and professional changes. Following a bittersweet Olympic experience—where he won 4x100m relay bronze but was disqualified in the individual event he made the decision to leave his training base in Italy and return to Wales to start a family.
This move also reunited him with Helen James, the coach who first encouraged him to take up sprinting as a teenager. High on confidence after his European triumph, where he set a personal best, Azu boldly declared his intention to “take it all” and he delivered.
In Nanjing, he clocked 6.53 seconds in the heats and improved to 6.52 in the semifinals before rising to the occasion in the final, equalling his lifetime best.
Reflecting on his journey, Azu admitted he was emotional before the race. “The last few years have been very difficult, and this morning I was thinking and reflecting on that,” he said. “It’s so important to have people around you who truly believe in you. Win or lose, they would still be there for me, and that means everything.”
On his decision to move back to Cardiff, Azu emphasized the importance of family. “Family is everything to me, and I sacrificed that for the last two years. Being back with them, having that support system around me, has been huge. They help me believe in myself, and that’s something you can’t teach. It’s key to success.”
Elsewhere in Nanjing
Beyond Azu’s incredible victory, other British athletes made their mark on the opening day of competition. Middle-distance runners Georgia Hunter Bell and Neil Gourley advanced to their respective 1500m finals, while Amber Anning made a statement in the 400m with a dominant qualification performance.
The championships continue on Saturday, with Britain’s Molly Caudery aiming for gold in the women’s pole vault final (02:10 GMT), followed by Anning’s shot at a 400m title.
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