American college athlete Ja’Kobe Tharp delivered one of the most remarkable performances in track and field history by breaking the men’s 110m hurdles world record during the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The 20-year-old Auburn University hurdler clocked an astonishing 12.75 seconds in the semifinal heats at Hayward Field on Wednesday, surpassing the previous world record of 12.80 seconds set by Olympic champion Aries Merritt in 2012. (Reuters)
Historic Run at Hayward Field
Tharp’s run was officially wind-legal, recorded with a +1.0 meters-per-second tailwind, meaning the performance qualifies as a valid world record under international athletics rules. (Yahoo Sports)
The performance also shattered the NCAA collegiate record of 12.98 seconds previously held by Olympic champion Grant Holloway since 2019. (Yahoo Sports)
According to Reuters, Tharp admitted after the race that he had not expected to break the world record during the championships.
“I knew I had that in my legs,” Tharp said after the race. (Reuters)
He added that he initially believed he had run closer to 12.97 or 12.98 seconds before seeing the official timing. (Reuters)
First NCAA World Record in Decades
The achievement is being described as one of the most significant moments in modern collegiate athletics. NCAA reports stated it was the first world record set during the NCAA Outdoor Championships since 1976. (NCAA.com)
Tharp entered the championships already considered one of the fastest young hurdlers in the world. The American athlete previously won the World Under-20 title and finished sixth at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. (Reuters)
Athletics analysts noted the scale of the improvement was extraordinary. Before the race, Tharp’s personal best stood at 13.01 seconds, making the jump to 12.75 one of the biggest breakthroughs ever recorded in the event. (News.com.au)
Athletics World Reacts
The performance immediately drew reactions across the athletics community, with many calling it a transformational moment for sprint hurdling.
Video clips from the race quickly spread online as fans and commentators reacted to the speed of Tharp’s start and his near-flawless technique across the barriers. NCAA.com later published the official race footage highlighting the historic performance. (NCAA.com)
Officials from World Athletics have not yet released a separate formal statement regarding the ratification process, though no irregularities have been publicly reported.
Sources
- Reuters
- NCAA.com
- AFP
- The Times
- Yahoo Sports
- World Athletics
Editor: Sudhir Choudhary
Date: June 12, 2026
Tags: Ja’Kobe Tharp, NCAA Championships, USA News, Athletics, 110m Hurdles, World Record, Auburn University, Track and Field
News by The Vagabond News.