Defending champion Jeremiah Azu narrowly missed out on a medal in “among the best 60m races of all time” on the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland.
Twelve months after claiming the primary international title of his profession with world indoor gold in China, Azu missed out on a return to the rostrum by simply 0.01 seconds as he clocked 6.46 seconds in Torun.
The 24-year-old at all times confronted fierce competitors as he sought to defend his title however displayed his medal credentials by enhancing his private greatest to six.45 within the semi-finals – a time which moved him to second on the British all-time checklist behind Dwain Chambers.
However American Jordan Anthony, who arrived on the championships because the quickest man this yr, ran the joint-fourth quickest time in historical past as he improved to six.41 to take gold forward of Jamaica’s Olympic and world 100m medallist Kishane Thompson.
Thompson and American Trayvon Bromell each completed in 6.45 to finish the rostrum and deny Azu in an exhilarating conclusion to the opening day of motion.
“They did not allow us to down. These guys did what we anticipated them to do,” two-time world 110m hurdles champion Colin Jackson mentioned on BBC TV.
“An electrical efficiency – we have witnessed among the best 60m races of all time in order that’s a really particular factor in itself, and Jeremiah Azu was within the combine.
“Azu bought out very sharp – he is one of many quickest starters on this planet – however Anthony was out a bit bit forward and did what was vital.”
Azu instructed BBC Sport: “It is powerful. I used to be very vocal about defending that World Athletics Indoor Championships 2026: Jeremiah Azu narrowly misses out on 60m medal and I fell brief.
“It is monitor and area – you win some you lose some. I am nonetheless ready to make use of this present to try to encourage folks. But it surely’s powerful to take proper now.”
Earlier on Friday, Olympic champion and indoor world report holder Keely Hodgkinson managed her girls’s 800m warmth from begin to end to win in two minutes 00.32 seconds and attain the semi-finals, the place she will probably be joined by team-mate Isabelle Boffey.
Ben Pattison, winner of world 800m bronze in 2023, received his warmth in 1:47.48 to advance to the semi-finals of the lads’s occasion, which additionally happen on Saturday morning.
Olympic and world medallist Georgia Hunter Bell secured her place within the girls’s 1500m ultimate by inserting first in 4:12.09, however Jemma Reekie missed out after ending fourth in her race.