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Azu gets first Senior Medal in Munich
17/08/2022 00:00, I Mewn Blog / Track & Field /
Jeremiah Azu's stellar 2022 continued last night in Munich where he secured a Bronze medal in the final of the European Championships 100m.
Banner image: British Athletics
A delighted Azu spoke after:
“I saw first come up, I saw second come up and I said ‘surely I have done enough to get third?’ and I was waiting and waiting and waiting and I saw my name and just screamed.
I am fit. I had a little niggle mid-season, I came through it and I have come away with a bronze medal. I can’t complain. I ran a PB. I am chopping time slowly. Every time I step on the track, I am hitting 10.1, 10.1. Obviously, I’m British so I’ve had a windy 9.9 – I need to make that legal now.
This is progress and I just want to be better than myself every year, so next year I want to be better than this Jeremiah, it doesn't matter what anyone else is doing. We all have our lanes, we ran our own race, so I can only focus on me - as long as I am progressing every year in some shape or form, on and off the track, I can't complaint. A big shout to Wales, small country but we are doing damage in the World.”
That windy 9.9 came at the British Championships where he took the title becoming the first Welshman to do so since Ron Jones in 1969. He then headed to Birmingham where he finished a very respectable 5th in a hotly contested men's 100m but was disappointed and clearly wanted more from himself, and has now delivered the senior medal he craved. This European Bronze medal comes just a year after he won Gold at the U23 level in Talinn.
Also competing in the European Championships, Bethan Davies walked to a very creditable 11th place in the 35km road event, dipping under the three hour mark to finsih in 2.59.38. Jake Heyward had a nervous wait, but secured himself a place in Thursday evening's 1500m final. Andy Davies and Rosie Edwards both had strong runs in very hot conditions in their respective marathons, both coming home in 35th place. Melissa Courtney-Bryant and Joe Brier both battled hard to make their respective 1500m and 400m finals but were ultimatley unable to do so. Heather Lewis will go in the 20k Race Walk on Saturday morning.