Ja'Kobe Tharp

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Ja'Kobe Tharp
Personal information
Born (2005-09-30) 30 September 2005 (age 19)
Sport
SportAthletics
EventHurdles
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)60m hurdles 7.45 (2025)
110m hurdles: 13.01 (2025)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  United States
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Lima 110m hurdles

Ja’Kobe Tharp (born 30 September 2005) is an American hurdler. He won the 110 metres hurdles at the 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships.

In 2025, he also won both the NCAA Outdoor Championships over 110 metres hurdles and the NCAA Indoor Championships over 60 metres hurdles.[1]

Early life

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He attended Rockvale High School in Tennessee.[2]

Career

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He finished runner-up at the NCAA Championships in June 2024, running for Auburn University. He finished the NCAA season with a 13.18 seconds personal best.[3] He achieved that in winning the Southeastern Conference in Gainesville, Florida. This time set a new national U20 record breaking the previous mark set by Renaldo Nehemiah in 1978.[4] Later that month, he won the 110m hurdle final at the USATF U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.[5]

He competed at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, qualifying for the final with a year world U20 leading time of 13.11 seconds.[6] He won the gold medal in the final with a 13.05 seconds (-0.5m/s) lifetime best time, and a national U20 record over the 99cm hurdles, as well as a 2024 world U20 leading time.[7][8]

He ran 7.45 seconds to win the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach on 15 March 2025.[9] He ran 13.15 seconds for the 110m hurdles to finish second at the 2025 SEC Championships, a time which moved him to fifth on the NCAA all-time list.[10] In June 2025, he also won the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships 110 metres hurdles title in Eugene, Oregon, in a personal best time of 13.05 seconds.[11][12] He ran 13.17 seconds to place third at the 2025 Herculis event in Monaco on his Diamond League debut on 11 July 2025.[13]

On 3 August 2025, he ran a personal best 13.01 seconds to win the 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon ahead of Cordell Tinch.[14]

Personal life

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Both his parents were basketball players, his father, Jimmie Ware, was a high school player and his mother, Aminda, played for Tennessee–Martin and Dyersburg State CC.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Ja'Kobe Tharp". World Athletics. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ "After breaking 40-year-old TSSAA record, Rockvale track's Jakobe Tharp has bigger goals". dnj.com. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  3. ^ Mull, Cory (14 June 2024). "Ja'Kobe Tharp Drops Ridiculously Fast Time At U.S. U20 Championships". Flotrack. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  4. ^ "THARP'S HURDLES RECORD* EARNS HIM USATF ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS". usatf.org. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  5. ^ "YOUNG AMERICAN STANDOUTS EARN PLACES ON USATF U20 TEAM". Runnerspace. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Almayew sets steeplechase championship record to win world U20 title in Lima". World Athletics. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Walaza storms to sprint double at World U20 Championships in Lima". World Athletics. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  8. ^ "AKAOMA ODELUGA, JA'KOBE THARP, SCOTTIE VINES WIN GOLD FOR U.S. AT WORLD ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS". Runnerspace. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Ja'Kobe Tharp ran 7.45 to win the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship". flotrack. 15 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  10. ^ Woods, David (18 May 2025). "JAMEESIA FORD, JORDAN ANTHONY RUN BLAZING DOUBLES; GEORGIA WOMEN, ARKANSAS MEN WIN SEC TITLES". Runnerspace. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  11. ^ Nelson, Matt (13 June 2025). "Tapiwanashe Makarawu speeds to shocking victory at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships". Olympics.com. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Nathaniel, Makarawu and Mullings shine at NCAA Championships". World Athletics. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Lyles back with a bang in Monaco". World Athletics. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Tharp surprises in 110m-hurdles victory". NBC Sports. August 3, 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  15. ^ Rosen, Karen (May 31, 2024). "Ja'Kobe Tharp — Rebuilt & Revved Up For NCAA Champs". Track and Field News. Retrieved 31 August 2024.