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. In 2024, he became the first Welshman to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds in wind-legal conditions. 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.

Career

In 2022, Azu competed at the British Championships where he won the 100 metres in a wind-assisted time of 9.90 seconds. 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.

The following year, Azu made it to the final of the 60 m at the European Indoor Championships, where he finished 6th. 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.

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. 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. At the Games in Paris, he was disqualified in his 100 metre heat for a false start. However, he recovered to win a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay.

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. 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.

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.

Personal life

Azu was born in the Netherlands, and raised in Wales. He is of Ghanaian descent. He became a father in March 2025.

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 again. Azu comes from a devout Christian family, with his father being a pastor.

Competition record

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing Great Britain and Wales
2017Celtic Games1st100 m
2018Celtic Games1st100 m
Welsh Athletics Championships1st60 m
1st200 m
2019Welsh Athletics Under 20 Championships1st60 m
England Under 20 Athletics Championships1st60 m
1st200 m
British Athletics Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom3rd60 m
European U20 ChampionshipsBorås, Sweden100 m13.45
European U23 ChampionshipsGävle, Sweden7th100 m
2021Manchester International Championships1st100 m
European U23 ChampionshipsTallinn, Estonia1st100 m10.25
DNF4 × 100 m relay
2022British Indoor Athletics ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom3rd60 m6.61
Golden SpikeOstrava, Czech Republic1st4 × 100 m relay38.43
British Athletics ChampionshipsManchester, United Kingdom1st100 m9.90w
Commonwealth GamesBirmingham, United Kingdom5th100 m10.19
European Athletics ChampionshipsMunich, Germany3rd100 m10.13
2023European U23 ChampionshipsEspoo, Finland1st100 m10.04
2023 European Athletics Team ChampionshipsChorzów, Poland3rd100 m10.16
2024British Indoor Athletics ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom1st60 m6.60
British Athletics ChampionshipsManchester, United Kingdom2nd100 m10.17
2024 Olympic GamesParis, FranceDSQ100 m
3rd4 × 100 relay
2025British Indoor Athletics ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom1st60 m6.56
European Athletics Indoor ChampionshipsApeldoorn, Netherlands1st60 m6.49 PB
World Athletics Indoor ChampionshipsNanjing, China1st60 m6.49 =PB

Personal bests

Outdoor

Indoor

External links