Breaking NCAA records is impressive. Breaking a world record on the NCAA stage is something else entirely. That is exactly what Ja’Kobe Tharp achieved on the opening day of the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, producing a stunning 12.75-second run in the men’s 110m hurdles semifinals. The Auburn University star lowered the previous world record of 12.80, set by fellow American Aries Merritt in 2012, by five hundredths of a second.
The 20-year-old’s historic performance also wiped out the collegiate record of 12.98 established by Grant Holloway in 2019. In doing so, Tharp became the first athlete in five decades to set a world record at the NCAA Championships, a feat not seen since Dwight Stones achieved it in the high jump 50 years ago.
JA’KOBE THARP ARE YOU KIDDING ME 🤯 12.75
✅ NCAA RECORD
✅ WORLD RECORD#NCAATF x 🎥 ESPN / @AuburnTFXC pic.twitter.com/YuN7crt8kc— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 11, 2026
Who Is Ja’Kobe Tharp? Meet The 20-Year-Old Auburn Hurdling Sensation
Ja’Kobe Tharp is a 20-year-old American track and field standout from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, competing for Auburn University. He burst into global headlines on June 10, 2026, after delivering a jaw-dropping 12.75-second run in the 110m hurdles, breaking the world record and shocking the athletics world with a performance for the ages.
JA’KOBE THARP WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ⁉️
Ja’Kobe Tharp clocks 12.75* during the prelims of the NCAA Track & Field championships to set a new world record in the 110m hurdles 🤯
The reigning world U20 champ shaves 0.05 off the previous record set by Aries Merritt 13 years ago 🥵 pic.twitter.com/jlUeBCWE6P
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) June 11, 2026
But Tharp’s rise didn’t begin on the track. In his early years, basketball was his main focus, not sprinting or hurdling. Born into an athletic family—his mother Aminda Tharp played college basketball at Tennessee–Martin and Dyersburg State, while his father Jimmie Ware also played the sport—he grew up dreaming of making it big on the hardwood.
Those dreams took a hit in seventh grade when he was cut from his middle school basketball team. Instead of stepping away from sports, he turned to track and field almost by chance, joining simply to stay active and involved in competition. It was a difficult transition at first, as he was unfamiliar with the technical demands of the sport.
Things began to change when his coach introduced him to hurdles, recognizing his long stride and natural athletic frame. Though he was initially hesitant and even fearful of crashing over barriers, everything clicked by eighth grade when he went on to win the Tennessee State middle school championship. That moment marked the beginning of his transformation from a disappointed basketball hopeful into one of the most exciting hurdlers in the world.
Ja’Kobe Tharp Career Highlights: NCAA Titles, World U20 Gold and Major Achievements
Beyond his record-shattering 12.75-second world record, Ja’Kobe Tharp has already built a standout résumé across collegiate, national, and global stages. He first made waves internationally by winning the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in the 110m hurdles in Lima, Peru, marking himself as a rising star on the global circuit.
His rise continued at senior level when he claimed the 2025 USATF National Championship at just 19 years old, defeating experienced professionals and setting a personal best of 13.01 seconds. Later that year, he made his World Championships debut in Tokyo, navigating the early rounds successfully before finishing sixth in the world final, proving he could compete at the highest level.
At the collegiate level with Auburn University, Tharp has been equally dominant, collecting three NCAA individual titles, including the 2024 outdoor 110m hurdles crown and consecutive indoor titles in 2025 and 2026. He also stunned the sport at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships with a 7.32-second 60m hurdles run, breaking Grant Holloway’s collegiate record and ranking among the fastest ever globally. Heading into the 2026 outdoor season, he carried an unbeaten streak in individual hurdle events, underlining his consistency and elite form.
What Did Ja’Kobe Tharp Say After Breaking Aries Merritt’s 110m Hurdles World Record?
The breakthrough came as a huge leap forward for the Alabama-born hurdler, who had previously set a personal best of 13.01 seconds. Entering Eugene, Ja’Kobe Tharp was confident he could lower his time, but even he did not expect anything close to a world-record-shattering performance on that stage. “I knew I was ready to drop something crazy,” he said. “I knew what I was capable of, but I didn’t know about that.
“It wasn’t on my bingo chart for this meet, not at all. I’m speechless, seriously.” Looking ahead, Tharp is set to return to Hayward Field on Friday with a chance to defend his NCAA title. A win would see him become the first men’s sprint hurdler since Grant Holloway in 2019 to secure back-to-back collegiate championships.
How Old is Ja’Kobe Tharp? Age, Family, College And Early Life Explained
Ja’Kobe Tharp is a 20-year-old American hurdler from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, currently representing Auburn University in track and field. Born on 30 September 2005, Tharp’s journey began long before his record-breaking moment. He attended Rockvale High School in Rutherford County, where he stood out as a dual-sport athlete in both track and basketball.
Standing at 6’4″, he led his school basketball team to a district title while also becoming a Tennessee state champion in the 110m hurdles, performances that eventually earned him a scholarship to Auburn. At Auburn, his rise has been rapid and historic. He won the 2024 SEC outdoor 110m hurdles title in 13.18 seconds, followed by World U20 gold in Lima, before going on to dominate NCAA indoor events with a 7.32-second 60m hurdles run that broke Grant Holloway’s collegiate record.
His breakthrough 12.75-second world record at the NCAA Championships made him the first athlete in five decades to set a senior world record at the meet. Off the track, Tharp keeps his personal life private but often credits his family, coaches, and Auburn training group for shaping his journey and pushing him to elite level.
