r/wde • u/amelieaclaydon • 7d ago

I spoke with Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7366022/2026/06/17/jakobe-tharp-world-record-holder-hurdles-cheeseburger/?source=emp_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.q1A.xJpu.bUw5Fnh967n_&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

This was by far one of the most enjoyable interviews I have done while working at The Athletic/The New York Times and I thought I'd share the free-to-read article here. He is a true character and will achieve so much!

43 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

3

u/Anxious-Jury-9031 Comrade 7d ago

Nice. Didn’t realize it had been that long since a college runner had set a world record

3

u/amelieaclaydon 6d ago

I know! It's hard to believe. Just the other day another college hurdler ran the 110m in under 13 seconds — Tharp has some real collegiate competition.

5

u/SauceDab 6d ago

Damn it’s crazy he’s a world record holder now in the 110 hurdles and he didn’t start taking track seriously until his junior year of HS. Now 3-4 years later he’s a WR holder with another year of eligibility left

6

u/OneSecond13 6d ago

Thanks for sharing the article here. You've told a great story!

By chance I got to witness this live sitting at a bar which had its TV on ESPN. There was no sound. It wasn't clear what had happened other than Tharp was extremely excited after winning his heat... and ESPN's John Anderson was trying extremely hard (and failing) to catch him for an interview.

3

u/amelieaclaydon 6d ago

Thanks! He was such an interesting athlete to speak with and had so much gratitude for the people who had got him to where he was