Jeremiah Azu’s Olympic Dreams Dashed by False Start

Welsh sprinter Jeremiah Azu faced a heartbreaking moment during the Olympic 100m competition when he was disqualified due to a false start. The 23-year-old athlete remained on the track, visibly confused and upset, pleading with officials to let him compete under protest.

Azu’s disqualification occurred in the first heat, where he reacted 0.073 seconds before the gun fired, exceeding the allowed 0.01 seconds. He claimed that he was startled by a noise in the noisy Stade de France crowd, which coincided with other events happening at the same time.

Despite his protests, the starting officials refused to allow him to run under protest. Azu plans to appeal the decision, hoping for a chance at redemption. According to the guidelines from World Athletics, officials can overturn a decision if there’s doubt, but that was not the case for Azu.

Famed former Olympic 200m champion Michael Johnson shared his thoughts on the incident, stating that while athletes should know better than to start before the gun, Azu’s claim of reacting to a sound could be a legitimate excuse.

Azu expressed his disappointment, saying, «It’s a shame, the crowd is so excited,» and questioned why he wasn’t allowed to run under protest, as he believed was common in other races. He aimed to file his appeal quickly to get back in the mix for the semifinals.

As he lingered on the track protesting the call, it was noted that another athlete, Mozambique‘s Steven Sabino, had also been disqualified for a false start. The commentary around Azu’s disqualification ran deep, with many fans feeling the impact of the decision on British track and field.

Despite his strong preparations, Azu’s Olympic journey now hangs in the balance as he navigates through the appeals process.