Azzopardi’s post-Olympic mission: Sub-10 or bust

NSWIS Scholarship athlete, speedster Josh Azzopardi enjoyed his Paris debut by clocking 10.20 seconds in his heat for the 100m, while being a member of the Australian Olympic 4 x 100m relay team that broke the national record in 38.12 sizzling seconds is a treasured highlight. The 24-year-old has returned home buoyed by his experience at the Stade de France and he admitted his eyes are firmly set on breaking the 10 second barrier.

NSWIS: Congratulations on your achievements at the Olympics. How will the experience of competing at the Paris Games help when you return to competition this summer?

Josh Azzopardi (JA): It’s given me a huge confidence boost in that I know I’ve competed on the world’s biggest stage – there’s nothing bigger than the Olympics. It showed me I can handle any situation, any pressure. Paris has equipped me well, and I’m excited to see what I can do.

NSWIS: How is your training going, and what is your season looking like?

JA: My training has been going really well. I’m doing PBs at training in October, so it should be an exciting season. I haven’t mapped out my race program . . . there’s some relay camps that will take me out of a few individual races. But it’s all about planning that properly and being able to slide in. However, the Perth Track classic and nationals are two set in stone.

NSWIS:  What are your immediate goals?

JA: The 2025 world championships in Tokyo is a big one, I want to make the 1000m semifinal. In saying that I know I need to qualify first, and that’s about running PB’s and enjoying the sport. That’s what helped me last year: enjoying the process and enjoying the sport. The one thing we’ve written down as a goal is for me to go sub-10, and to bring that speed into the relay team. We want to crack the finals [in Tokyo] and we want to challenge for the medals.

NSWIS: The sub-10 goal is exciting, what will it take?

JA: I believe sub-10 is realistic. It’s pretty scary, to be honest but it’s exciting at the same time. It’s scary because it’s such a big barrier. Everyone talks about sub-10, but to achieve it everything needs to be perfect. For it to come together you need to execute everything perfectly and also have perfect conditions on that day. Yeah, it’s challenging but it excites me.

NSWIS: What does having that title ‘Olympian’ mean to you?

JA: It has opened a few avenues in general life, and being an Olympian is something I’ll proudly carry forever. It’s just been unreal, and to be able to give back to my junior club – Camden Athletics – means a lot.

NSWIS: Can you describe what it was like going to Stade de France for the first time – it’s quite an amazing venue.

JA: That was an unreal moment. I remember going to Stade de France a few days before I ran, and I looked at the Olympic rings in front of the stand and I just stood there thinking to myself: ‘I’ve actually done it; I’ve actually made it.’ Walking out for my heat was a dream come true and I tried to soak it all in. I just wanted to go out and enjoy the race and I think I executed it well. I enjoyed it; ran a relaxed race. I would’ve loved to have run a little bit faster, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. I was happy with how I ran the race.

NSWIS: What do you remember about the race – you came fourth in your heat in a time of 10.20?

JA: I remember segments, but not the whole race. I remember the last 30m of the race. I could see in my peripheral vision the German [Joshua Hartmann] on my right. I tried to time my dip right to get on him, but he got me. That’s what I remember most, the last 30m and trying to remain relaxed as I ran to the line.

NSWIS: How about the relay? You and your teammates Lachlan Kennedy, Jacob Despard, and Calab Law definitely had a crack, creating a new national record in your heat.

JA: The relay was awesome. It is such a great event, and we’ve built a good culture over the last couple of years. I think that showed with out national record. We were put in a very tough heat [against USA, South Africa, Japan, Italy, Great Britain, Nigeria, the Netherlands], but we performed to the best of our abilities. Hopefully in the next few years we get to crack the finals, I think it’s just about developing the foundation we’ve set.

NSWIS: What else stands out about your Olympic experience?

JA: Just sharing the vibe of the city and the moment with my parents and my girlfriend, and it was great to have my grandparents there as well. It was special to walk out on the stadium and have them all there, it was like a touch from home and knowing I had their full support. And just being able to go out into the city of Paris is a memory I’ll hold on to forever. The Athlete’s Village was sensational; everything I thought it would be plus 10! Some outstanding memories, including sitting in the dining room on the first night I arrived and seeing Noah Lyles [who won the 100m men’s final] which was cool to see.

 Daniel Lane, NSWIS