By Charlie Bennett in Tokyo
Copyright walesonline
Jeremiah Azu admits he needs to go back to the drawing board if he wants to contend for World Championship medals outdoors after falling short in his bid for the 100m final. The Cardiff sprinter finished fourth in his semi-final, clocking 10.05 seconds which, while respectable, is not going to cut it at this elite level. Azu was in the first of three semi-finals, which saw two athletes from each race qualify automatically and the rest sweating it out for the two fastest loser spots. The 24-year-old was made to sit in a hotseat by the side of the track and watch the next race to see if his time would be beaten by the third-placed athlete, which it was by teammate Zharnel Hughes. Azu was phlegmatic after the race and has enjoyed an excellent season, especially indoors where he won the 60m World Championship title. But it is at the outdoor meets where athletes are ultimately judged and he knows he has a big off-season ahead. “I think I got out great, transitioned well, held my form,” he said. “It was probably my average this year so I have been very consistent. “But against the best in the world, you need to be better than that. You need to be going nine seconds. Ultimately, I fell short there. “I finished the race healthy and I have the relay coming up next week, so I am going to take a couple of days off and then get ready for that. “I have my family in the stands and will hang out with them for a few days, go see Tokyo.” The 100m final, which followed just two hours after the semis, was won by Jamaica’s Oblique Seville in a rapid 9.77 seconds. Seville led a Jamaican one-two from Kishane Thompson, while defending champion Noah Lyles was a distant third and unable to truly challenge. Great Britain did not have anyone in the race after Hughes suffered a similar fate to Azu. While Hughes, 30, bumped Azu out of contention, he was nudged out of the final in the last semi-final. “It’s a weird one,” Azu admitted. “I’m never one to hope anyone doesn’t do well. I made sure, in that position, I kept myself the same. And I just asked God for his will to be done, you know. “Ultimately that’s what came to pass and I can’t be too disheartened. I gave it my best, but my best wasn’t good enough.” Novuna is the Title sponsor of the GB & NI Athletics Team. Together, we make the important things happen – on the track, in business and in life. As a trusted finance partner, Novuna helps millions of people and businesses everyday across the UK achieve their goals. Find out more www.Novuna.co.uk and @_novuna
