Newly-crowned world champion Jeremiah Azu sets sights on outdoor success

Newly-crowned world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu has set his sights on adding outdoor titles to his CV as he targets a golden summer.

The 23-year-old has seen everything go right so far in 2025, clinching the European and World 60m indoor titles whilst also becoming a first-time dad.

It no surprise he has declared that this will be ‘the best year of his life’ and it is far from over for Cardiff’s sprint sensation, who will hope to peak for the 100m at September’s World Championships in Tokyo.

"Nothing is impossible," he said. "There is no doubt that if I continue to work hard and I follow God, and the calling on my life, I will be exactly where I need to be.

"I am always one who thinks things through. I do not think I can achieve it just because I say it, I think I can achieve it because I have seen the numbers I am able to hit in training and I am able to compete on the high stage when the pressure is on.

"These are the reasons that I am able to say that and hopefully I can follow through with it."

The numbers certainly do not lie for Azu this year so far.

The sprinter, who was born in Rotterdam before moving to Cardiff aged three, clocked a personal best of 6.49s over 60m to take world gold in Nanjing last weekend.

Azu saw his individual Olympic aspirations go up in smoke after a false start in his heat in Paris last summer but he has bounced back in style and now has his love for his sport back.

"It has just been a blur," he said. "Sometimes I wake up and I think it is not real. It has been crazy. I have spent it [time since the World Indoor Championships] with my family, watching it back, taking it all in.

"I set a lot of life goals and to achieve them quite early on in my career is exciting.

"I know exactly where I need to be. The confidence to find myself and to feel like myself again, I think it is going to be all positive for my 100m.

"I am excited and I am at a place where I just love racing and I think that’s is so important in athletics."

Friday marked 500 days to go until the 2026 European Athletics Championships, set to take place at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

Azu was back in the stadium he competed in for Wales at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to celebrate the milestone and revealed it was one of the greatest crowds he had ever witnessed in the sport.

And with the opportunity to get back under the lights, this time swapping the Welsh vest for a British one, Azu can’t wait to hear the Birmingham roar once more.

"I cannot wait to have that GB vest on because then it is all forces combined," he said.

"It is going to be amazing. I have wanted to have a home champs for so many years and it is going to be fun to finally have one.

"It is the first Europeans in the UK which is massive, and the British fans are great. They are so knowledgeable and understand what is going on which really helps.

"I cannot wait, there's no better place for it and I love this track."

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