Jeremiah Azu knew it was close—too close to call at first. As the clock ticked and the crowd held its breath, the difference between glory and heartbreak came down to the finest of margins. The 2025 World Indoor Championships had delivered a race for the ages, and Azu, already a European gold medalist, was at the center of it. But against whom? Noah Lyles’ rival, who couldn’t even manage to reach the top three. Yes, correct. With every fraction of a second counting, his final push proved decisive. Now, with the world watching, he finally breaks his silence on what truly went down.
Jeremiah Azu stood still, eyes locked on the screen, waiting. The moment felt longer than the race itself. The crowd roared, but he needed confirmation—needed to see it for himself. His heart pounded and his mind raced. Had he done enough? The margin was tight, and the competition was fierce. And then it happened. A wave of emotion hit him, but what exactly went through his mind in that split second?
That’s where the story gets even better. While talking to Athletics Weekly after winning gold, Azu candidly responded to the interviewer as she asked what exactly went through his mind. The world champion expressed his thoughts in words, saying, “I didn’t see his (Australian) name come up. I don’t know why.” For a moment, everything felt uncertain—had he done it?
Jeremiah Azu didn’t even see the Australian name pop up; all he wanted was confirmation. Jeremiah Azu had been here before—on the biggest stage, with everything on the line. But this time, at the 2025 World Indoor Championships, the moment felt different. As he crossed the finish line, there was no immediate confirmation, just a split second of uncertainty. “I didn’t see his name come up. I don’t know why,” Azu admitted, recalling the nerve-wracking wait. And of course, with this small margin, no one could imagine.
“To think I’m standing here as the European and world indoor champion is crazy. I didn’t even know I was going to be in this position five weeks ago.” @jeremiahazu talks through the feeling of securing the world indoor 60m gold medal in Nanjing
He equalled his personal best… pic.twitter.com/T9uCFCqn6U
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 21, 2025
Unlike his European triumph, where the margin was clearer (6.49 by Azu and 6.52 by Sweden’s Henrik Larsson), this one felt too close to call. “Europeans were a bit of a bigger margin, and I wasn’t sure about that, but this one I was a bit more sure.” The tension in the arena was palpable, but Azu stood by his instincts. He continued, “I just wanted to make sure, like, I wanted the confirmation on the screen, so I started celebrating.”
He knew he had edged ahead, but the margin was as close as it could be. That’s why he simply remarked, “So, yeah, I mean, I was just waiting. I kind of knew I got it, but it was so close.” In the end, it all came down to the tiniest of details—one final dip at the line that made the difference between gold and silver. Jeremiah mentions, “It would have been great if we were next to each other, but, yeah, I mean, it forced me to dip. It forced me to just get that little bit of an edge, and, yeah, world champion, I mean. It says it for itself.”
The pressure? Immense. The margin? Razor-thin. But in that final stretch, Azu’s dip made all the difference. Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu made it to the podium with 6.49s in 60m ahead of Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy, finishing in 6.50. Now, standing atop the podium, he has just three words to sum it all up—world champion, I mean. And for the Welsh sprinter, there is someone who he calls a warrior.
Jeremiah Azu on Richard Kilty’s influence and legacy
Jeremiah Azu knows greatness when he sees it, and for him, Richard Kilty embodies that warrior spirit. As the last man to hold both titles, Azu now boasts of Kilty’s profound influence on British sprinting history. “Yeah, he got me through Appledawn. Sat down with him before the semi-finals,” Azu recalled while talking to Athletics Weekly, highlighting the invaluable mentorship he received.
Competing alongside Kilty in the relay, Azu experienced firsthand the fire that makes the veteran sprinter stand out. “Kilty, like, competing with him in the relay, he’s such a warrior, and he can make you feel like you’re getting ready to go to war.” That intensity left a lasting mark on Azu, shaping his mindset on the track. After winning his heat, semifinal, and finally at the European Indoor Championships, making him the first British person to do so since Richard Kilty in 2014. The fourth British man to receive this honor is Azu.
Though Azu might not see himself as a warrior, Kilty’s presence made him believe otherwise. “I’m not someone that I think I could go to war with, but if I were with Kilty, I would be marching up, you know.” With that inspiration, Azu embraces the challenge of following in his mentor’s footsteps. “He’s a great athlete. I do actually look up to him in many ways; so much respect for him.”
The Paris relay team’s success, Azu insists, wouldn’t have been possible without Kilty’s relentless determination. “We wouldn’t have had our medal in Paris without him. He’s strapped himself up like he’s a warrior.” Now, as Azu steps into the spotlight, he carries Kilty’s legacy with pride. “If I can follow in his footsteps, it would be an honor.”
Exceptional starter Kiltzy was a 34-year-old heat runner who helped Great Britain win the bronze in the Paris 4 × 100-meter relay. With all these recent accolades and a world champion, one thing is confirmed: Jeremiah Azu is a reckoned force. And this is just the beginning; he has miles to go.
The post Putting Noah Lyles’ Rival Into Dust Jeremiah Azu Breaks Silence on World Championships Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.
