**Auburn’s Tharp Shatters 110m Hurdles World Record at NCAA Championships**
EUGENE, Ore., June 11 (Reuters) – Auburn sophomore Ja’Kobe Tharp ran the fastest 110m hurdles in history on Thursday, clocking 12.76 seconds at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
The time shatters the previous world record of 12.80, set by Olympic champion Grant Holloway in 2021.
Tharp, 20, exploded out of the blocks at Hayward Field. His margin of victory was staggering—0.14 seconds over runner-up Caleb Dean of Texas Tech. That’s a lifetime in the hurdles.
“I felt good in the warm-up. The crowd was loud. I just executed,” Tharp told World Athletics after the race.
The mark is pending ratification. If approved, it would be the first world record in the event set by a collegiate athlete since Renaldo Nehemiah in 1979.
Wind readings were legal at +1.5 m/s.
Tharp entered the meet as the NCAA leader at 12.97. He dropped nearly a quarter-second in the final. The performance sent shockwaves through the sport ahead of the 2027 World Championships in Tokyo.
BBC Sport noted the run was “not on many prediction lists” for Eugene. World Athletics called it “a seismic moment for the barriers.”
Tharp’s progression: 13.21 (2024) → 12.97 (2025) → 12.76 (2026).
His coach at Auburn declined immediate comment. The school has not yet announced any plans for a press conference.
The previous collegiate record was 12.96, set by Texas A&M’s Devon Allen in 2016.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What is the new 110m hurdles world record set by Ja’Kobe Tharp?
- A: Ja’Kobe Tharp clocked 12.76 seconds, breaking Grant Holloway’s previous record of 12.80.
- Q: Was the wind reading legal for Tharp’s world record run?
- A: Yes, the wind reading was legal at +1.5 m/s.
- Q: How does Tharp’s record compare to previous collegiate records?
- A: Tharp’s 12.76 is the first collegiate world record in the event since Renaldo Nehemiah in 1979, and beats the previous collegiate record of 12.96 set by Devon Allen in 2016.
