College Hurdler Ja'Kobe Tharp Breaks 13-Year World Record

A college athlete just did something that rarely happens outside the Olympics: he broke a world record that had stood since 2012.

Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp blazed through 110 meters of hurdles in 12.75 seconds at the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Wednesday. He beat the previous record of 12.80 seconds, set by American Olympic medalist Aries Merritt in Brussels over a decade ago.

"I'm speechless. I didn't mean to," Tharp said after the race. The Tennessee native was just focused on his own performance in what was supposed to be a preliminary heat, not a history-making moment.

The achievement is remarkable because world records almost never fall at college meets. Most records happen at the Olympics, World Championships, or elite professional competitions where the best athletes in the world compete.

Tharp demolished his competition by more than a quarter of a second, a massive margin in track and field. He's now part of an exclusive group: all five of the fastest 110-meter hurdles times in history belong to Americans.

Why This Inspires

This is only the second world record set at NCAA championships in nearly 50 years. The last time happened in 1976 when Dwight Stones broke the high jump record.

Tharp's journey to this moment shows what dedication and patience can achieve. At just 20 years old, he won gold at the under-20 World Championships in Lima last year with the best time in the world that season.

He's also dominated the 60-meter indoor hurdles, running two of the 20 fastest times in history earlier this year. His coaches knew he had peaked at exactly the right moment for this meet.

The world record still needs official ratification, but the performance marks a stunning breakthrough for collegiate athletics. College track historically gave the sport one of its greatest moments in 1935 when Jesse Owens set three world records in 45 minutes, and Tharp just added another chapter to that legacy.

The finals are scheduled for Friday evening, and everyone will be watching to see what the young star does next.