Auburn Sprinter, Hurdler Win NCAA Individual Titles

Two Auburn Tigers were able to defend their crowns from indoor and last year's outdoor championships in their respective events in Eugene on Friday.

Auburn’s Ja'Kobe Tharp wins the men’s 110-meter hurdles in the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Friday. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn track and field has had a strong year, and two of its athletes garnered national championships for their respective events in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday. 

Juniors Ja’Kobe Tharp and Kayinsola Ajayi each took home an individual crown out west to begin the weekend. Tharp won the 110m hurdles, while Ajayi took home the 100m at Hayward Field. 

Tharp successfully defended his title, finishing with a time of 12.90 seconds to win it in back-to-back years. It comes after he broke the world record on Wednesday in the semifinal heat of the competition. 

“I wanted to come out here, put on a show, run fast, make a statement, show the world that I’m one of the best in the world,” he said. I think I did my job.”

In total, Tharp has four national titles, with two in indoor and outdoor each. That ties a record from Harvey Glance, a former USA gold medalist, after being one of the best athletes Auburn has ever had. The Murfreesboro, Tn., native will also have a chance to break that record next year with his senior year still to go. 

Ajayi won the 2026 indoor championship in the 100m, going back-to-back in Eugene with a time of 9.72. In his first two years with the Tigers, he finished third and fourth, respectively, finally breaking the deadlock to pick up his second national title in his collegiate career. 

It wasn’t about the time, either for the Nigerian; it was about leaving with the crown. 

“I stuck to the plan,” Ajayi said. “I didn’t care about the time; I only cared about the win. That’s Auburn for you.”

The two helped lead the program to a top-10 finish in the team title, the third consecutive time that Auburn has done so. That hasn’t happened in 25 years, when the Tigers did it from 1999-2001. Auburn would finish sixth in the entire country. 

The Tigers had the chance to move even higher in the rankings, but poor situations kept them where they are. Auburn’s 4x100m relay didn’t finish, despite breaking a collegiate record on Thursday. Between the third and fourth leg, a dropped baton ended the hope for a team championship. 

Ajayi was a part of that relay quartet and was able to flush it to win the 100m title. 

Sophomore Israel Okon finished second in the 200m, which was a personal-best finish that he’s had in his young career. Senior Omari Lewis joined Ajayi on the 100m final with an eighth place finish. 

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