Los Angeles
American hurdler Ja’Kobe Tharp delivered one of the most remarkable performances in recent athletics history by breaking the men’s 110m hurdles world record during the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The 20-year-old Auburn University standout clocked a sensational 12.75 seconds in the heats, eclipsing the previous world record of 12.80 seconds set by fellow American Aries Merritt in Brussels in 2012.
Tharp’s extraordinary run was achieved with a legal tailwind of one metre per second, ensuring the mark will be recognized as a legitimate world record. The performance also shattered the NCAA collegiate record of 12.98 seconds established by Olympic champion Grant Holloway in 2019.
The achievement was all the more surprising considering Tharp entered the competition with a personal best of 13.01 seconds. By running 12.75 seconds, he improved his lifetime best by more than a quarter of a second, an extraordinary leap at the elite level of sprint hurdling.
Speaking after the race, Tharp admitted that although he believed he was capable of producing a fast time, breaking the world record was not something he had anticipated before the championships.
The young athlete said he felt strong throughout the race but was surprised by the final result when he looked at the clock. He revealed that he had expected a time close to the NCAA record but was left speechless after realizing he had become the fastest 110m hurdler in history.
Tharp’s breakthrough performance immediately places him among the leading stars of global athletics and strengthens his credentials ahead of future international competitions.
Despite the historic achievement, the Auburn athlete remains focused on the task ahead. He will return to the track for Friday’s final, where he will attempt to defend his NCAA title and become the first athlete since Holloway in 2019 to win back-to-back collegiate championships in the event.
With a world record now to his name, Tharp has announced himself as one of athletics’ brightest new talents and a serious contender on the global stage.