Azu powers to world indoor 60m gold in Nanjing

Jeremiah Azu claimed gold in the men’s 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing on Friday, capping off a turbulent few months with a career-defining victory.

Azu, who entered the competition as the reigning European champion, clocked a personal best of 6.49 seconds to edge Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy by one-hundredth of a second. The 23-year-old erupted in celebration as he crossed the line, overwhelmed by the significance of the moment.

“It was a burst of emotion,” Azu said. “I feel like I’ve faced a lot during the last couple of months, had a lot of life changes, so to know that everything’s still going the right way is important for me.”

His path to gold was far from straightforward. Azu had been training in Italy under coach Marco Airale but decided to return to Cardiff, reuniting with childhood coach Helen James. The move came as he reassessed his career following personal challenges, including injuries and the birth of his son, Azaire.

“There’s no emotion that can compare to seeing your child be born,” he said. “And I think that has benefitted me so much because it makes these moments so much easier to stand on that start line.”

With his sights now set on the World Championships in Tokyo in September, Azu remains focused. “The work doesn’t stop,” he said. “Hopefully, I can come back in the summer, be back in Asia, be back in Tokyo, and who knows what can happen.”

(Source: AFP)