For a man who didn’t have a senior individual title to his name a fortnight ago, Great Britain’s newest sprint superstar is fast making the world athletics stage his personal playground.
It has been some month for Jeremiah Azu. Away from the track he has celebrated the birth of his son, Azaire. On it, the swashbuckling 23-year-old has now added a global title to his European indoor crown over 60m after claiming gold in Nanjing in a thrilling finale on the opening day of the World Athletics indoor championships.
He joins Richard Kilty, Dwain Chambers and Jason Gardener as British winners over the distance. In a final where there appeared to be no clear favourite, Azu delivered when it mattered most with an imperious run, holding his form to equal his personal best of 6.49 sec and narrowly edge out Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy, who ran 6.50. South Africa’s Akani Simbine was third.
In just a handful of seconds, Azu’s career – and perhaps his life – changed for ever. He got quicker through the heats, culminating in a magnificent run in the final. He spent much longer circling the track soaking up the adulation of the crowd and then the emotion began to pour out.
“I was emotional before the final with my coach … the last two years have been very difficult for me,” Azu said, referencing his decision to relocate back to the UK from Italy and reunite with his old coach, Helen James. “I’ve been reflecting and it’s important to surround yourself with people who believe in you and who care about you.”
Azu will now turn his attention to the outdoor world championships in Tokyo this summer over 100m. The eyes of the world will be watching one of athletics’ fastest-rising stars. “I said at the Europeans I wanted to take over the world. This is just the start. The plan is to keep on winning. The sky is the limit.”
Britain look handily placed to challenge for medals elsewhere across the weekend after the opening day of the championship with two fantastic redemption tales. Away from Azu, Georgia Hunter-Bell ensured her spot in Sunday’s 1500m final with a straightforward qualification through her heat.
The Olympic bronze medallist was the overwhelming favourite at the European championships in Apeldoorn but an ear infection led to her missing out on the medals altogether. But Hunter-Bell cruised through her heat here with the fastest time of anyone on the day, 4:09:21, to set up a medal opportunity later this weekend.
“I had all the emotions last week, but the best thing I could do is come back and be as strong as possible,” she said. “Heats can be nervy: there’s no room for error, so it’s good to get out and get the job done.” Britain’s Revée Walcott-Nolan, who came third in Apeldoorn, finished fifth in her heat and failed to qualify.
Amber Anning shrugged off the disappointment of her disqualification in Apeldoorn by delivering a statement run to book her place in the final of Saturday’s women’s 400m. Anning had qualified for the final of the Europeans in an impressive 51.01 before a lane infringement subsequently ended her medal hopes.
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However, she delivered an even more impressive display on the opening day in Nanjing, running 50.79 – the only woman to break 51 sec in the heats. She undoubtedly enters the final as favourite.
“It felt good and it felt smooth,” the 24-year-old said. “I wanted to push it and get a feel for the track. It was just about getting a clean race today but I’m excited to have another opportunity to get on the podium.”
The star attraction of the championship is Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and his quest to become only the second man to win 1500m and 3,000m gold at the same world indoors began with minimal fuss as he coasted through his 1500m heat to advance to Sunday’s final.
Ingebrigtsen, who won gold in the 1500m in Apeldoorn, will now attempt to emulate the iconic Haile Gebrselassie by winning double gold. He will line up in the 3,000m final in Saturday’s evening session in Nanjing, while Britain’s Neil Gourley will join the Norwegian in the 1500m final after running 3:36.60 to win his heat on Friday.
“I’m glad I stuck to the plan and it worked well,” Gourley said. Britain’s Adam Fogg came last in his heat. The other gold medals on day one went to South Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok in the men’s high jump, Canada’s Sarah Mitton in the shot put and Finland’s Saga Vanninen in the pentathlon, with Ireland’s Kate O’Connor taking silver.