Welshman Jeremiah Azu fought back tears after claiming 60 metres gold in a personal best 6.49 seconds on the first day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in China.
Azu beat Australian Lachlan Kennedy by a hundreth of a second to claim his second major senior international title after winning his maiden crown over the same distance at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn earlier this month.
It caps off a remarkable month for the 23-year-old, who welcomed his first child – a son – one week before the trip to the Netherlands, and just a few months ago left his former training set-up in Italy to return to former coach Helen James in Wales.
“I’m just excited for the future,” Azu told the BBC. “Like I said at the Europeans, I want to take over the world, so it’s just the start of our journey.
“I’ve been back with [Helen] for three months now. Imagine what six months looks like, imagine what four or five years looks like. The plan is just to keep on winning.
“It gives me massive, massive confidence. I’m just excited now, I want to get out there and race.
“The sky’s the limit, as people say, and I don’t think the sky’s the limit. There’s way more than that.”
Azu dedicated the victory to James, adding: “The last few years have been very difficult for me. I’ve been thinking about it, reflecting, and it’s so important to surround yourself with people who believe in you.”
Recently-crowned European 60 metres bronze medallist Andy Robertson did not make it through to the final after he pulled up in the morning’s heats.
Hunter Bell targeting medal in 1500m final
Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell, whose own European campaign was curtailed by an ear infection, qualified for Sunday’s 1500 metres final, but compatriot Revee Walcott-Nolan missed out.
Scottish runner Neil Gourley reached the men’s 1500 metres final after finishing first in his heat in 3:36.60, while Adam Fogg – needing to place top two – finished sixth in his heat.
Amber Anning – who claimed Olympic bronze medals with the women’s and mixed 4x400 metres relays in Paris – stormed through to the women’s 400 metres final in 50.79 and will go for gold at 12:44pm GMT on Saturday.
Reigning world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery gets her title defence underway at 2:10am GMT, just over an hour before Amy Hunt kicks off her campaign to qualify for the women’s 60 metres final.
