Ja’Kobe Tharp, an Auburn University athlete, breaks the men’s 110m hurdles world record during the preliminary heats at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Multiple outlets report that he runs 12.75 seconds, lowering the previous world record of 12.80 seconds. The performance comes in the heats rather than the final, which means Tharp qualifies to compete again later in the championships. Coverage also notes that the world record is held for more than a decade and that the previous best was set by American hurdler Aries Merritt in 2012 in Brussels. Other reporting highlights that Tharp, 20 years old and the defending NCAA champion in the event, becomes the first athlete in around 50 years to set a world record at the NCAA meet, referencing Dwight Stones’ high jump record in 1976. The articles agree that Tharp will return for the final after booking his place with the record-setting run, with his potential NCAA title still to be decided.