TOKYO, Japan – Six current and former Auburn track and field student-athletes concluded competition at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, held September 13-21. The group recorded three top 10 finishes in the world at the Japan National Stadium.
The Tigers represented three different countries across five individual events.
Lining up for the United States, two-time NCAA Champion, Ja’Kobe Tharp advanced to finals in the men’s 110m hurdles. Racing in heat two, Tharp finished third (13.28) and secured an automatic qualifier spot in semi-finals. In semis, Tharp had the fifth fastest time of the round (13.19) and moved on to finals.
With a time of 13.31, the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor 110m hurdles Champion placed sixth in the world. Tharp’s teammate on Team USA, Cordell Tinch, took gold.
The sprinting duo Kayinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon represented their home country of Nigeria. Competing in the men’s 100m dash, Ajayi and Okon cruised through round one and easily advanced to semis.
Ajayi dropped 9.88 in round one, which was a personal best for the Lagos, Nigeria native. He took four hundredths off his previous personal best (9.92). Ajayi’s time was the second fastest of round one, clocking him as the third fastest Nigerian of all time in the event and tied for the 12th fastest in the world this year.
Okon won heat six of the 100m (10.04), outrunning the 2020 100m Olympic Champion, Lamont Marcell Jacobs from Italy.
In the semi-final round, Ajayi went head-to-head with Olympic Champion and seven-time World Champion, Noah Lyles. Ajayi crossed the line in second (9.93), just one-hundredth of a second behind Lyles, and automatically secured a spot in the final.
Okon ran 10.14 in the semi-finals, finishing 19th overall in the 100m.
In the final round, Ajayi finished sixth in the world, running 10.00.
Makanakaishe Charamba represented his home nation of Zimbabwe in Tokyo. He ran the second fastest time of his 200m heat (20.06) and cruised through to the semi-final round. The 2024 200m Olympic finalist ran 20.03 in semis.
Charamba ended his 2025 World Athletics Championship campaign ninth in the world, just five one-hundredths of a second away from securing a spot in finals.
Clearing 1.83m, six-time All-American Sanna Barnes finished 25th overall for Team USA.
Vimbayi Maisvorewa (Zimbabwe) competed in the women’s 400m. The program record holder in the indoor 400m ran 52.28, finishing 40th overall.
For full results and additional coverage from the World Athletics Championships, visit here.
2025 World Athletics Championships
Japan National Stadium
Tokyo, Japan
Men’s Results
100m Round One
- Kayinsola Ajayi, 9.88 Q
9. Israel Okon, 10.04 Q
100 Semi-Finals
- Kayinsola Ajayi, 9.93 Q
18. Israel Okon, 10.14
100m Finals
- Kayinsola Ajayi, 10.00
110m Hurdles Round One
- Ja’Kobe Tharp, 13.28 Q
110m Hurdles Semi-Finals
- Ja’Kobe Tharp, 13.19 q
110m Hurdles Finals
- Ja’Kobe Tharp, 13.31
200m Round One
- Makanakaishe Charamba, 20.06 Q
200m Semi-Finals
- Makanakaishe Charamba, 20.03
Women’s Results
Women’s 400m
- Vimbayi Maisvorewa, 52.28
Women’s High Jump Qualifications
- Sanaa Barnes, 1.83m