Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff) struck a magnificent men’s 60m gold, producing an unerring personal best performance, while there was a memorable bronze for Andrew Robertson (Alex O’Gorman, Sale Harriers) in the same race at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
Fastest through the morning’s heats, and requiring a top two finish to qualify automatically, Azu stamped his authority on his semi-final with a hugely commanding run of 6.52, a huge personal best and European leading time, to glide through to the evening’s final. Azu was joined in the final by the hugely experienced Robertson, who too navigated his semi-final with a winning time of 6.57 having joined the British team as a late call-up.
Come the final just over two hours later, and with both men looking calm and collected on the start line, it was all to play for with seven of the nine men lining up sharing season’s bests ranging within 6.52 to 6.58, Azu the pick of the bunch having produced the quickest time of his life earlier in the session.
Both superb starters on their day, and with Azu looking to trust his top-end speed to bring him through, the British duo were sharply out from the gun, Azu’s start particularly strong as he immediately took ground away from Crespi (SPN) inside of him and Afrifa (NED) on the outside.
Extending his lead at fifteen metres or so, Azu looked imperious as he streaked away from the field, a huge lean for the line bringing up a new personal best and European leading time of 6.49 seconds to revise his quickest ever for the second time today. In striking gold, Azu also becomes the first British man to win the European 60m title since Richard Kilty’s gold at Belgrade’s 2017 edition of the championships.
For Robertson, it was a case of both atonement and achievement after false starting in his previous European indoor final back in 2017, and a fourth-place finish at 2021’s edition.
Blistering down the straight and in the medal mix all the way after another trademark quick start, a huge lean saw the 34-year-old edge out Afrifa – with whom he shared the same time, only to edge the Dutchman out by thousandths of a second – to dip himself into bronze with 6.55, the second quickest time of his career.
Of the achievement and the most important variables, an elated Azu said: “This morning I felt a bit flat before the semi-final then I saw my family and we prayed. After I left them I was thinking, where would I be without these guys? They lifted me up. Once I saw them it just shut down any doubt, I walked into that warm-up area and felt amazing just from seeing them. They mean to world to me. I am such a family man – I wouldn’t be here without them.
“We are just scratching the surface – this is only the beginning. We have so much more to go.”
Speaking on his bronze medal winning achievement, Robertson commented: “I have been doing this sport for many, many years, competing at national, international, under-23, junior and youth levels. I have never had an international medal and today I can’t really ask for more.”
“I am very proud, and very happy. It wasn’t particularly a great run from me, but that is my competitive nature, and I’ve got myself in the best shape ever. It’s not bad for a 34-year-old!”
Sadly, there was disappointment for John Otugade (Tom McNab, Shaftesbury Barnet), as the British senior team debutant bowed out of the competition following the third and last semi-final.
Producing a run of 6.67 for fifth place after being left a little in the blocks at the gun, both the time and position time left Otugade down on what was required to progress.
Reflecting afterwards, and talking on the championships experience as a whole, he said: “I’m obviously disappointed not to make the final but I’ll take the positives and take it into the outdoor season and hopefully build upon this indoors. I’ve had a lot of near misses, so it is good to finally make it to the stage.
“I’ll take many things from these championships: how to recover between rounds – that’s a very big thing. There was a seven-hour gap between the heat and the semi – something I am not used to at all – and you are dealing with a different schedule and running at times I wouldn’t normally be used to running at.”
In men’s middle-distance action, and following a razor-tight progression through yesterday’s men’s 800m heats, Justin Davies (Martin Rush, Team Bath) stepped back on to the track in buoyant mood, and intent on seizing the opportunity in front of him in the semi-finals.
Going in semi-final one of two, and chasing a top three finish to qualify for the final, Davies opted to start cautiously and let those in front commit to hard running from the off. Upping his speed to climb up into fifth as they came round through 400m in a blistering 50.99 from the leaders, Davies then began to look spent as the field rounded for 600m and the bell.
Suffering but digging in over the final lap, Davies crossed over in 1:47.17 for sixth to bring an end to his championship campaign.
Speaking afterwards, Davies said: “I gave it absolutely everything, I didn’t hold back at all. At the end of the day, I wasn’t quite at the same level as those guys. And that is ok, that means there are plenty more opportunities and lots of training to be done. I can’t complain, I am really happy where I have got to.
“It gives me a lot of confidence. Earning that sense of belonging and realising that yes I do belong on this stage. Hopefully many more years to come and I can keep coming back here.”
Great Britain & Northern Ireland have won four medals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships:
Gold
Jeremiah Azu, Men’s 60m
Bronze
Andrew Robertson, Men’s 60m
Mixed 4x400m Relay
Revee Walcott Nolan, Women’s 1500m
All results from the European Indoor Athletics Championships can be viewed here, along with the event timetable.
