GB’s Azu narrowly misses out on world 60m medal

Defending champion Jeremiah Azu narrowly missed out on a medal in the men’s 60m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland.

Twelve months after claiming the first global title of his career by winning world indoor gold in China, Azu missed out on a return to the podium by just 0.01 seconds as he clocked 6.46 in Torun.

The 24-year-old always faced fierce competition as he sought to defend his title but displayed his medal credentials by improving his personal best to 6.45 in the semi-finals – a time which moved him to second on the British all-time list behind Dwain Chambers.

American Jordan Anthony, who arrived at the championships as the fastest man this year, improved to 6.41 to lead Jamaica’s Olympic and world 100m silver medallist Kishane Thompson across the line.

Thompson and American Trayvon Bromell both finished in 6.45 to complete the podium as Azu was denied in a thrilling conclusion to the opening day of action.

Earlier on Friday, Olympic champion and indoor world record holder Keely Hodgkinson controlled her women’s 800m heat from start to finish to win in 2:00.32 and reach the semi-finals, where she will be joined by team-mate Isabelle Boffey.

Azu arrived at these championships high on confidence and instilled with well-founded belief that he was “fitter and faster than ever”.

The Welshman demonstrated that by running a lifetime best in qualifying for the final – but, in an event decided by hundredths of a second, it was not enough against a stellar line-up.

Azu had already shown his winter progress by running a personal best of 6.47 seconds this month, shaving 0.02 off the time which brought him indoor world and European gold last year.

He described his build-up to last year’s championships as a “mess” – though it did not prevent him from recording his breakthrough gold – after he chose to end two years of training in Italy and returned to Wales to start a family.

Now reunited with childhood coach Helen James, Azu continues to progress – his new best leaves him within 0.03 secs of Chambers’ 17-year British record.