Welsh sprinter Jeremiah Azu opens up on coping with first-time fatherhood – as he juggles his new tasks alongside attempting to win World Indoor Championships gold
- Welsh sprinter Jeremiah Azu has opened up on his time since becoming a father
- The 23-year-old won the 60 metres European Indoor gold for Britain earlier
- Azu will head into this week’s World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China
New dad Jeremiah Azu is ready to wipe the floor with his rivals in China – fresh from wiping up his baby’s poonami.
The Welsh sprinter will go for gold in the 60 metres at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing on Friday, less than a fortnight after he stormed to the European title.
And Azu admits that becoming a father has made him fearless, even if his son Azaire did have a smelly surprise for him when he returned from winning in the Netherlands earlier this month.
‘I got back home at like 11pm and that same night he had an explosion!’ laughed the 23-year-old, whose boy was born the week before he was crowned European champion.
‘I was straight on nappy duty at 1am, holding the baby, thinking, “Wow, life comes at you fast”. It was straight back down to earth – King of Europe and then straight on the nappies!
‘It’s been sleepless nights for a week because I wanted to take the strain off my partner as much as possible when I got back. But this new dad strength is kicking in. There’s not really any fear.
Welsh star Jeremiah Azu has shared his experiences since becoming a father earlier this month
The Netherlands-born sprinter took the European Indoor title for Britain just a week after he welcomed a son, Azaire, into the world
Azu is set for an even greater milestone in the 60 metres at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing on Friday
‘There a switch in my mentality that it’s bigger than me now. I’m doing this for my own child, I’m doing this for my partner, I’m doing this for us. For some reason, that has just made things easier.’
Azu’s personal best of 6.49secs in the European final is the fastest time by anyone indoors in the world this year. It means the man nicknamed ‘Azoom’ will line up in Nanjing as one of the favourites for gold, especially with USA stars Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles – who finished first and second last year – skipping the event.
‘I’m always going into everything thinking I can win,’ said Azu, who spent last Sunday morning singing in his church band before he flew to China.
‘I’m coming in with the fastest time, so there’s a sense of pressure, but I kind of like that feeling.
‘I think I’m definitely capable of doing something special, so I don’t see why I can’t walk away with the gold.’
Azu would become the first Brit since his former relay team-mate Richard Kilty in 2014 to be crowned world indoor 60m champion.
‘I spoke with Kilty between the heats and the semis at the Europeans and he gave me a lot of confidence,’ added Azu. ‘If I could live up to anything that he’s done, that would be truly special.’
