Jeremiah Azu
British athlete (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeremiah Azu (born 15 May 2001) is a Welsh sprinter. He is the 2025 European Indoor Champion and 2025 World Indoor Champion over 60 metres.[1] In 2024, he became the first Welshman to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds in wind-legal conditions.[2] Azu is a five-time British champion, three times indoors over 60 m, once indoors over 200 metres, and once outdoors over 100 metres and a European Champion in the 4 × 100 metre relay.
Azu, 2022 in Munich | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (Welsh) |
| Born | 15 May 2001 Rotterdam, The Netherlands |
| Home town | Cardiff |
| Children | 1 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event(s) | 60 m, 100 m, 200 m |
| Club | Cardiff AAC |
| Coached by | Helen James |
Medal record | |
Career
In 2022, Azu competed at the British Championships where he won the 100 metres in a wind-assisted time of 9.90 seconds.[3][4] In his first senior international appearance, he won the bronze medal over 100 metres at the 2022 European Athletics Championships in a new personal best of 10.13 s, and a gold in the 4 × 100 metre relay at the same competition.[5][6]
The following year, Azu made it to the final of the 60 m at the European Indoor Championships, where he finished 6th.[7] In June, competing in the 100 metres in the 2023 European Athletics Team Championships, as part of the 2023 European Games, he won the bronze medal. At the European U23 Championships in Espoo, Azu won gold over the 100 m in a wind-assisted 10.05 s.[8]
Azu become the first Welsh 100 m runner to break the 10-second barrier in wind-legal conditions clocking 9.97 at the True Athletes Classics in Leverkusen, Germany, on 25 May 2024.[2] After winning the silver medal at the 2024 British Athletics Championships, Azu was subsequently named in the Great Britain team for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[9] At the Games in Paris, he was disqualified in his 100 metre heat for a false start.[10] However, he recovered to win a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay.[11][12]
Azu won the gold medals in the 60 metres at the 2024 and 2025 British Indoor Athletics Championships, making him a three time national champion, once outdoors, twice indoors.[13][14] Following his win in 2025, Azu competed at the European Indoor Championships, where he won gold in the 60 m in a new personal best of 6.49, his first time under the 6.50-barrier.[15]
He won the gold medal in the 60 metres at the 2025 World Indoor Championships in China, equalling his personal best of 6.49 in the final.[16][17]
Personal life
Azu was born in the Netherlands, and raised in Wales. He is of Ghanaian descent.[18] He became a father in March 2025.[19]
Azu caused some controversy when he wore a head band written saying '100% Jesus' at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The organization later told him not to wear the headband gain. Azu comes from a devout Christian family, with his father being a pastor.[20]
Competition record
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Great Britain and  Wales | |||||
| 2017 | Celtic Games | 1st | 100 m | ||
| 2018 | Celtic Games | 1st | 100 m | ||
| Welsh Athletics Championships | 1st | 60 m | |||
| 1st | 200 m | ||||
| 2019 | Welsh Athletics Under 20 Championships | 1st | 60 m | ||
| England Under 20 Athletics Championships | 1st | 60 m | |||
| 1st | 200 m | ||||
| British Athletics Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 3rd | 60 m | ||
| European U20 Championships | Borås, Sweden | 100 m | 13.45 | ||
| European U23 Championships | Gävle, Sweden | 7th | 100 m | ||
| 2021 | Manchester International Championships | 1st | 100 m | ||
| European U23 Championships | Tallinn, Estonia | 1st | 100 m | 10.25 | |
| DNF | 4 × 100 m relay | ||||
| 2022 | British Indoor Athletics Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 3rd | 60 m | 6.61[21] |
| Golden Spike | Ostrava, Czech Republic | 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 38.43[22] | |
| British Athletics Championships | Manchester, United Kingdom | 1st | 100 m | 9.90w[4] | |
| Commonwealth Games[23] | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 5th | 100 m | 10.19 | |
| European Athletics Championships[23] | Munich, Germany | 3rd | 100 m[24] | 10.13 | |
| 2023 | European U23 Championships | Espoo, Finland | 1st | 100 m | 10.04 |
| 2023 European Athletics Team Championships | Chorzów, Poland | 3rd | 100 m[25] | 10.16 | |
| 2024 | British Indoor Athletics Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 1st | 60 m | 6.60[26] |
| British Athletics Championships | Manchester, United Kingdom | 2nd | 100 m | 10.17 | |
| 2024 Olympic Games | Paris, France | DSQ | 100 m | ||
| 3rd | 4 × 100 relay | ||||
| 2025 | British Indoor Athletics Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 1st | 60 m | 6.56[13][14] |
| European Athletics Indoor Championships | Apeldoorn, Netherlands | 1st | 60 m | 6.49[13][14] PB | |
| World Athletics Indoor Championships | Nanjing, China | 1st | 60 m | 6.49[16][17] =PB | |
Personal bests
Outdoor
- 100 metres – 9.97 (Leverkusen, Germany 2024)[2]
- 100 metres – 9.90 (+2.5 m/s, Manchester 2022)
- 200 metres – 20.96 (+0.3 m/s, Loughborough 2022)
Indoor
- 60 metres – 6.49 (European Championship 2025)
- 60 meters - 6.49 (World Championship 2025)
- 200 metres – 21.25 (Sheffield 2019)
