Jeremiah Azu admitted nerves before settling into his blocks for the men’s 60m final at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing on Friday.
But the 23-year-old channeled his nervous energy to perfection as he rose to the occasion to win in an equal PB of 6.49.
Following in the fast footsteps of fellow Brits who won this title – Jason Gardener, Dwain Chambers and Richard Kilty – the Welshman won Britain’s 21st world indoor title as he finished one hundredth of a second ahead of Lachlan Kennedy, a former rugby winger from Australia who had not raced indoors coming into these championships.
Akani Simbine of South Africa was third in 6.54 as one of the favourites, Ronnie Baker of the United States, finished sixth clutching his hamstring, while another leading contender, Eloy Benitez of Puerto Rico, stumbled mid-race and failed to finish.
Running in lane six, Azu enjoyed a great start but Kennedy in lane two finished strongly and almost caught him at the finish.
In a tearful post-race interview, Azu said: “I was a bit emotional before the final. It’s been difficult for me recently and it’s very important to surround yourself with people who believe in you.”
After a spell training under Marco Airale in Italy, Azu moved back home to South Wales this winter to train again under his old coach Helen James.
Adding to the emotions, he has also become a father for the first time in recent weeks and is fresh from capturing the European indoor 60m title in Apeldoorn this month.
Source: Aw
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