Olympic redemption for Azu with bronze reward

Welsh sprinter Jeremiah Azu admits he has experienced redemption after finishing his first Olympics in Paris with a bronze medal.

Azu started his programme in Paris with the heartbreak of being disqualified from the opening individual 100m heat because of a false start.

Six days later, he celebrated a podium position after finishing third in the 4x100m relay with fellow GB runners Zharnel Hughes, Louie Hinchliffe and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.

Azu, 23, was grateful to achieve an Olympic medal at his first Games.

“It’s a bit of redemption for how things turned out at the start of the championships,” said Azu.

“We all work so hard for these moments, it’s the stuff we dream of as soon as we started running.

“It’s amazing to leave with something and achieve this early in my career.

“It feels great to be in this position now. This is not the way I would have orchestrated things but I’m on a journey, I’m learning and this is part of the process.

“I would have loved to have proved myself individually. I am in the best shape of my life and hitting numbers in training I have never hit before.

“Next time I’m going to come back stronger and hopefully I can do myself justice, individually as well as the relay.”

Mental resilience

Azu, who trains in Italy, had to banish any demons quickly because he was tasked with running the first leg and returning to the blocks for the relay semi-final and final.

“I had to put last weekend behind me, I had another opportunity with the relay and made sure I did not shy away,” said Azu.

“The guys trusted me to get back in the blocks and whip around the bend and that’s what I did.

“I took the crowd away. I just made myself think I’m in Italy right now. It’s just another training session because it’s the same thing.

“Just because there’s people around, just because there’s the title of the Olympics, that shouldn’t change anything.

“You should do the same things, that’s what I did. I took a deep breath, blurred everything out and just ran.”

Family affair

Azu was able to demonstrate that mental strength because of the support of his family as they helped him recover from the disappointment of the individual elimination.

This included Azu leaving the Olympic village almost immediately after his individual sprint despair.

“Straight after the disqualification I went back to the village, threw my rucksack on the floor, picked up another bag and my family picked me up,” Azu told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

“They are staying at a camp site just outside of Paris so we went there for two days which allowed me to be distracted from things.

“It was important to have my family here. I don’t think I would have been able to get back out on that track without them.

“They took my mind off things and showed me they love me and there was no change in how they treated me.

“In those moments they brought me back down to earth and filled me with love. We are firm in our faith and understand everything happens for a reason.

“It’s a blessing to be able to take them to these places. This is stuff we used to watch on television and now they’re in Paris watching me.

“So it was great to be able to celebrate with them after the race.”

Love for Wales and golden ambition

Azu is the first Welsh Olympic track and field medallist since Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch won 4x400m relay silver in Atlanta in 1996.

“I can’t wait to come back to Cardiff, I’m always telling people how it’s the best city in the world,” said Azu.

“I genuinely love it, the people are so great and I wouldn’t change it.

“I can’t wait to share this with the people. I do this for the people of Wales, when I’m on the track I want them to feel like they’re there with me.

“There’s a big nation behind me and I’m proud to represent them.”

Azu is now targeting the ultimate prize in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I would love to have an Olympic gold medal and that would seal off a career,” said Azu.

“There is one gold every four years and to be somebody who has that would be amazing.

“To have gone through this now, coming back in four years time when we are in Los Angeles will be a much better experience.”