BUDAPEST, Hungary— Former Auburn great Ja’Kobe Tharp capped a historic collegiate and professional season Friday by winning the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship 110-meter hurdles title.
Tharp’s 2026 season saw him break a world record, two collegiate records, won two NCAA Championships, two SEC titles and a Diamond League Championship before adding the Ultimate Championship to his résumé in Budapest.
"It sounds strange to be the NCAA champion only and then to win the Ultimate Championship, but me and my coach wanted to come out here and get the win... and I did it by a lean,” Tharp said.
Running out of lane eight after qualifying sixth in the semifinals, Tharp closed strong over the final three hurdles, crossing in 12.94 to out-lean fellow American Cordell Tinch’s 12.95.
“If I had lost this race, it would be the only championship that I have lost this year. I ran as hard as I could from the last hurdle to the finish line to get my way,”Tharp said. “When I came to the stadium, I just tried to be more aggressive and that was a pretty nice race. Looking back on this season, I think I am a really blessed guy.”
On the professional level, Tharp’s immediately established himself as one of the world’s premier hurdlers. He won his first three Diamond League races of his professional career, including a victory at the Diamond League Final in Brussels, where he captured the Diamond Trophy before closing 2026 with the Ultimate Championship.
“This was the greatest season ever ran by an NCAA hurdler,” Auburn head coach Ken Harnden said. “Ja’Kobe is the ultimate team player. He tried to help his university win national championship and then went on to onto dominate the professional season. He lost two races this entire season in the 28 hurdle races against the best the world has to offer. I’m incredibly proud of Ja’Kobe and everything he’s accomplished at Auburn and around the world.”
Tharp, who turned professional in June after his junior season, continues to train in Auburn while working towards his degree.
In 2026 as a junior at Auburn, Tharp swept the SEC and NCAA indoor and outdoor hurdles titles, while breaking the 110m hurdles world record during the semifinals of the NCAA Championships in 12.75. It was the first time in 50 years that a world record had been eclipsed at the outdoor national meet.
The national title was Tharp’s fourth consecutive, as he won NCAA championships indoors and outdoors in 2025 as a sophomore, equaled the program record of Harvey Glance’s four individual sprint titles five decades ago.
Named the USTFCCCA Male Track Athlete of the Year, Tharp also broke the 60m hurdles indoor and 110m hurdles outdoor collegiate records this season.