Auburn junior and runner Ja’Kobe Tharp completed one of the greatest performances in college track and field history earlier this week, breaking the world record in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with a time of 12.75 during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.
Tharp’s record-setting run added to an extremely historic week for the Tigers, as he later returned to defend his NCAA title in the event with a time of 12.90, marking his fourth consecutive national championship and tying with Auburn legend Harvey Glance for the most individual titles in program history.
“It’s almost like a dream,” Tharp said. “I wanted to come out here, put on a show, run fast, make a statement, show the world that I’m one of the best in the world. I think I did my job.”
Auburn put on a show at the championship, as the men’s 4x100 meter relay team of Azeemi Fahmi, Kayinsola Ajayi, Austin Kresley and Tyler Davis also broke a collegiate record with a time of 37.75 in the semifinals, .15 seconds faster than the previous record time of 37.90 set by LSU in 2023.
Ajayi added another national championship to Auburn’s day, winning the men’s 100-meter dash with a time of 9.72. Israel Okon earned national runner-up honors in the 200-meter dash with a personal-best 19.99, and Devin Nugent placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles to earn First Team All-America recognition.
“My coach told me, ‘Ajayi, don’t worry about the 4 by 100; you win some and lose some. Just go out there and do what you have to do,’” Ajayi said. “I stuck to the plan. I didn’t care about the time; I only cared about the win. That’s Auburn for you.”
With two individual national champions and multiple performances that gained All-America recognition, Auburn finished sixth in the nation with 33 points, securing its third consecutive top-10 finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Lila is a freshman majoring in journalism sports production. She started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2025.
