FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas—Auburn junior Ja’Kobe Tharp ran the world’s fourth fastest time ever in the men’s 60m hurdles crossing in 7.36 during the semifinals at the first day of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Center, Friday. Tharp along with two other Tiger sprinters also advanced to Saturday’s finals.
The defending national champion indoors, Tharp overcame an early deficit, making a huge move between the second and third hurdles to fly past the competition, winning his heat to automatically advance to Saturday’s finals at 6 p.m. CT. His time broke his previous school mark of 7.45, is the world’s fastest time in 2026 and was one hundredth of second shy of the collegiate record held by Grant Holloway.
“The start was horrendous, but as Coach Ken (Harnden) says, ‘stay calm, stay collected and focus on what we do’,” said Tharp. “I stayed calm and collected. The win was great, the time was a bonus. I love it.”
In the men’s 60m dash, sophomore Israel Okon ran the second fastest time in Auburn history, winning his heat with a PR of 6.48 to automatically qualify for the finals. Junior Kayinsola Ajayi, the SEC champion in the event, ran 6.51 in the second heat to also earn a spot in the finals Saturday to be ran at 4:40 p.m. Racing in his first indoor nationals, senior Omari Lewis finished 14th in 6.63.
Junior Ana-Liese Torian qualified for the finals in the women’s 60m hurdles as she ran 8.06 to earn a non-automatic qualifying time. Torian, who finished 13th at the indoor championships last season, became Auburn’s first finalist in the event since Vonette Dixon won a national championship in 2000.
Senior Danae Nembhard who was the SEC silver medalist and racing in her first NCAA meet, ran 8.09 in the 60m hurdles to finish 10th overall and miss the finals by just two hundredths of a second.
Saturday’s action will kick off for the Tigers with senior Megan Hague and junior Camryn Massey in the women’s shot put at 2:45 p.m.
2026 NCAA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
RANDAL TYSON CENTER
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
Friday, March 13
Men’s 60m Semifinals
- Israel Okon 6.48 Q-PR
- Kayinsola Ajayi 6.51 Q
- Omari Lewis 6.63
Women’s 60m Hurdles
- Ana-Liese Torian 8.06 q
- Danae Nembhard 8.09
Men’s 60m Hurdles Semifinals
1. Ja’Kobe Tharp 7.36 PR, SR