Jeremiah Azu becomes first Welsh Olympic track and field medallist since 1996
Welsh sprinter of Ghanaian descent Jeremiah Azu has won an Olympic bronze medal as part of Team GB men's 4x100m relay.
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Born in Rotterdam to Ghanaian parents, Azu moved to Cardiff aged three and excelled in both athletics and football growing up.
He ran the opening leg with the baton handed over to Louie Hinchliffe, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Zharnel Hughes.
This medal came six days after Azu was disqualified from the individual 100m event because of a false start.
Canada won the gold ahead of South Africa, with USA having a nightmare on the first changeover.
Earlier, the GB women's 4x100m relay team won silver behind USA.
Azu, 23, was grateful to achieve an Olympic medal at his first Games.
"It's a bit of redemption for how things turned out at the start of the championships," said Azu.
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"We all work so hard for these moments, it's the stuff we dream of as soon as we started running.
"It's amazing to leave with something and achieve this early in my career.
"It feels great to be in this position now. This is not the way I would have orchestrated things but I'm on a journey, I'm learning and this is part of the process.
"I would have loved to have proved myself individually. I am in the best shape of my life and hitting numbers in training I have never hit before.
"Next time I'm going to come back stronger and hopefully I can do myself justice, individually as well as the relay."
Azu, who trains in Italy, had to banish any demons quickly because he was tasked with running the first leg and returning to the blocks for the relay semi-final and final.
"I had to put last weekend behind me, I had another opportunity with the relay and made sure I did not shy away," said Azu.
"The guys trusted me to get back in the blocks and whip around the bend and that's what I did.
"I took the crowd away. I just made myself think I'm in Italy right now. It's just another training session because it's the same thing.
"Just because there's people around, just because there's the title of the Olympics, that shouldn't change anything.
"You should do the same things, that's what I did. I took a deep breath, blurred everything out and just ran."
Azu is the first Welsh Olympic track and field medallist since Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch won 4x400m relay silver in Atlanta in 1996.
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"I can't wait to come back to Cardiff, I'm always telling people how it's the best city in the world," said Azu.
"I genuinely love it, the people are so great and I wouldn't change it.
"I can't wait to share this with the people. I do this for the people of Wales, when I'm on the track I want them to feel like they're there with me.
"There's a big nation behind me and I'm proud to represent them."
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Azu is now targeting the ultimate prize in Los Angeles in 2028.
"I would love to have an Olympic gold medal and that would seal off a career," said Azu.
"There is one gold every four years and to be somebody who has that would be amazing.
"To have gone through this now, coming back in four years time when we are in Los Angeles will be a much better experience."
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