GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, March 29–30 — Perfect weather conditions made for top performances at the Florida Relays.
In the 110H, unheralded Auburn frosh Ja’Kobe Tharp, just 18 years old, scored a breakthrough win. Tharp hurdled 13.72 legal and 13.32 with wind aid over 39-inch hurdles as a Tennessee high schooler last year. Here he showed he’s adjusting nicely to the 42-inchers. In his heat Tharp PRed with 13.69 and in the final he earned a same-time win from Nebraska senior and ’23 NCAA finalist Darius Luff at 13.46. The performance carried Tharp to =9 on the World Junior all-time list and to No. 2 on the American U20 ATL. Among U.S. hurdlers, only Renaldo Nehemiah, in his 1978 frosh season at Maryland that is the stuff of legend, put up faster marks as a Junior. Not since Grant Holloway in 2017 has a U.S.-born frosh hurdled faster.
Penn State senior Cheickna Traore impressed with a 20.23 win in the 200m. After finishing 2nd at the NCAA Indoor in 20.30, he had hoped for a better result.
“I was hoping to kill two birds with one stone and go 19, get the Olympic standard and go under 20,” said Traore. “It’s not what I wanted. I felt I executed decently and there were some parts that I couldn’t, but I will definitely take a PR for my first outdoor race of the season.”
South Carolina frosh JaMeesia Ford continued to motor, streaking to a 22.37 win over teammate Jayla Jamison (22.58).
“I’m out here trying new things and having a new coach,” said the NCAA indoor champion in the event. “I’m actually enjoying the environment I’m in right now and that’s all a part of my process.”
In the 4 x 100, the Gainesville Elite team of Grant Holloway, PJ Austin, Erriyon Knighton and Joseph Fahnbulleh blazed to a 37.67 win. USA Red team of Brandon Carnes, Christian Coleman, Kendall Williams and Noah Lyles were in contention, but a missed final baton pass to Lyles ended their hopes of a win.
“We’ve been training all fall and last week we practiced the handoffs,” said Gainesville Elite anchor Fahnbulleh. “We have elite guys on the team, but to have the chemistry and trust, that adds a whole different level to it.”
Marco Arop, the 800 world champion, took a page out of last year’s preparations in winning the 1500 in 3:40.81. Arop followed Florida junior Matthew Mulé through 800m before taking the lead and finishing in…
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