Welsh sprinter Jeremiah Azu, of Ghanaian descent, has secured a bronze medal in the men’s 4x100m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking a historic achievement for Welsh athletics.

Born in Rotterdam to Ghanaian parents and raised in Cardiff, Azu made a significant impact on the track by running the opening leg of the relay, which was completed by Louie Hinchliffe, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, and Zharnel Hughes. This medal win came just six days after Azu’s disqualification from the individual 100m event due to a false start.

Canada took the gold, with South Africa claiming silver, while the USA experienced a mishap during the first changeover.

Earlier in the games, the GB women’s 4x100m relay team won silver behind the USA. At 23, Azu expressed his gratitude for the bronze medal, describing it as a form of redemption after his individual disappointment.

“It feels great to achieve this at my first Olympics,” Azu said. “It’s a bit of redemption after how things turned out in the individual event. I’m proud to represent Wales and to share this with my home city of Cardiff.”

Azu, who trains in Italy, noted the mental challenge of moving past his earlier disqualification. “I had to put the past behind me and focus on the relay. I treated it like just another training session and delivered my best performance.”

He is the first Welsh athlete to win an Olympic track and field medal since Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch secured 4x400m relay silver in Atlanta in 1996.

Looking ahead, Azu is setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aiming for gold. “I would love to secure an Olympic gold medal to complete my career. Returning in four years will be an even better experience,” he said.