If Jeremiah Azu makes the Great Britain athletics squad for Paris, then he will find inner calm to settle any nerves.
The sprinter – who recently became the first Welsh athlete ever to run sub-10 seconds for 100m – insists his religious faith, his family upbringing and his rooted sense of community all give him a rock-solid foundation as firm as any set of starting blocks.
Jeremiah is very much the modern-day athlete with global influences. Born in the Netherlands to parents from Ghana, he moved to Cardiff when he was three-years-old, but currently lives in Italy as part of a four-strong British sprint training group.
The 22-year-old went to Llanishen High School in the capital where football and athletics vied for his attention.
As with so many Welsh sporting talents, his ability was spotted and encouraged by a supportive teacher – in his case, PE teacher David Griffin.
“Mr Griffin always encouraged me and we still keep in touch regularly, even now,” says Jeremiah.
“He used to tell me I needed to get to the track regularly because I had lots of talent and I could end up becoming a great sprinter if I worked hard.”
The school provided a nurturing environment for those keen to progress and develop their skills. In the same year group as Jeremiah was Rabbi Matondo, the current Rangers and Wales footballer.
“I look back to that time and that’s when I developed a love for track and field,” says Jeremiah.
“It was all about having fun, testing yourself, and being around friends. Some of my best memories of school are of sitting on the bus on our way to Leckwith Stadium.
“You would have a good time with friends, get nervous when it was your turn to compete, and then slowly learn how to deal with all those emotions. It was really valuable.”
His first coach, Helen James of Cardiff Athletics Club, built on those foundations.
“She set up my whole life by actually implementing the training. I was with her for five years and she took me to a place that I had never imagined possible. She really changed my life.”
