Jeremiah Azu claims gold at World Athletics Indoor Championships
The Welshman fought back tears after winning 60 metres title
Last updated 21st Mar 2025
Welshman Jeremiah Azu fought back tears after claiming 60 metres gold in a personal best 6.49 seconds on the first day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in China.
Azu beat Australian Lachlan Kennedy by a hundreth of a second to claim his second major senior international title after winning his maiden crown over the same distance at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn earlier this month.
It caps off a remarkable month for the 23-year-old, who welcomed his first child - a son - one week before the trip to the Netherlands, and just a few months ago left his former training set-up in Italy to return to former coach Helen James in Wales.
"I'm just excited for the future," Azu told the BBC. "Like I said at the Europeans, I want to take over the world, so it's just the start of our journey.
"I've been back with (Helen) for three months now. Imagine what six months looks like, imagine what four or five years looks like. The plan is just to keep on winning.
"It gives me massive, massive confidence. I'm just excited now, I want to get out there and race.
"The sky's the limit, as people say, and I don't think the sky's the limit. There's way more than that."
Azu dedicated the victory to James, adding: "The last few years have been very difficult for me. I've been thinking about it, reflecting, and it's so important to surround yourself with people who believe in you."
Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.