JEREMIAH Azu had his Olympic dream shattered before he had the chance to participate.
His journey from a football-loving child in Cardiff to the 2024 Paris Olympics is filled with remarkable achievements.
Jeremiah Azu is a Welsh sprinter.
He was born on May 15, 2001, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Ghanaian parents.
At the age of three, he and his family moved to Cardiff, Wales.
Growing up, Jeremiah excelled in both athletics and football.
However, sprinting ultimately won his affections over football.
He has achieved significant success in his sprinting career, collecting gold medals at both the U23 and senior European Championships.
In addition, he won a bronze medal at the 2023 European Games.
In 2022, Jeremiah competed in the British Athletics Championships, winning the 100 meters in a wind-assisted time of 9.90 seconds.
After finishing second in the men’s 100m at the 2024 British Athletics Championships, he qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
He told WalesOnline about his first Olympics: “I’m loving it. The team is great. The atmosphere is amazing.
“Team GB are just on another level, the catering staff, the reception, it’s been nothing that I’ve experienced before.
“It makes you feel at ease, and I think happy athletes are fast athletes so it is a great environment for us to be in until we step out onto the track.
“I’d love to walk away with a medal.
“I think that would be life-changing, not just for me but for my family and they are the ones that I do this for.”
Jeremiah Azu was disqualified from the men’s 100m sprint at the 2024 Summer Olympics before his heat even began due to a false start.
The sprinter left his starting block 0.073 seconds before the starting gun was fired, prompting officials to disqualify him.
Despite Jeremiah’s desperate attempt to appeal the decision, his protest was dismissed by the officials.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the incident, he explained: “Honestly, I reacted to a sound.
“It’s a shame, the crowd is so excited.
“The pole vault is going on and the French fans are in here.
“It’s a shame they didn’t let me run under protest, I’m not sure what rule is being used.
“But they said I’ve got to go back and put an appeal in, so I’m going to go through the process and see what happens.
“I was saying I wanted to run under protest.
“Any other race they allow you to run and then after you review it, but I don’t know, it’s the Olympics so it’s clearly different rules.
“So I’m just going to get back, try and get this protest done as quick as possible so hopefully I can get back out here and get into the semi-final.”
On May 25, 2024, Jeremiah became the first Welsh 100m runner to break the 10-second barrier in wind-legal conditions, clocking 9.97 seconds at the True Athletes Classics in Leverkusen, Germany.
He won thirteen gold medals and four bronze medals throughout his career.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Max Whitlock goes for an unprecedented fourth consecutive medal on the pommel horse (4.10pm)
Our dressage team can claim another gold at the equestrian (9am) after gold, silver and bronze at the last three Games.
Team GB will want to retain the 4x100m mixed relax relay (8.33pm) in the pool and Jake Jarman goes in the men’s floor gymnastics final (2.30pm).
BRITS TO WATCH
Tom Pidcock gets back in the saddle after his epic mountain biking gold with the men’s road race (10am).
It is the last day of rowing with GB in with a chance of more medals – especially in the men’s and women’s eights (10.10am).
GB take on Argentina in their final women’s pool game in the hockey (9am).
And Tommy Fleetwood continues his charge towards golfing gold, co-leading at -11 after a seven-under yesterday (10.44am).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
US sprinter Sha-Carri Richardson and Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson will battle it out for women’s 100m sprint gold – with Dina Asher-Smith hoping to keep pace (8.20pm).
We also get a first look in the heats at 100m men’s stars Americans Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman who will battle with Zharnel Hughes for glory (10.45am).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
Badminton often slips under the radar at the Olympics but is always incredible viewing with lightning-quick reactions.
The women’s doubles final features four of the best players in the world as Indonesia face China (3.10pm).
STATS MAD
6 – As of Saturday morning, only six athletes have won the same individual event at the Olympics four times. Katie Ledecky could join that prestigious list – which features Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps – in the 800m freestyle (8.09pm). Vincent Hancock could also do it in the skeet shooting today (2.30pm).
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
