By Zim Sport Live Writer
Former Zimbabwean Olympian Ken Harnden continues to cement his reputation as one of the most influential sprint and hurdles coaches in world athletics after guiding Auburn University star Ja’Kobe Tharp to a stunning world record performance at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Wednesday.
Tharp, a 20-year-old hurdling sensation from Auburn, Alabama, sent shockwaves through the athletics world when he clocked an incredible 12.75 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles heats.
In the process he shattered the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by American great Aries Merritt in 2012.
The performance also bettered the previous NCAA record of 12.98 set by reigning Olympic champion Grant Holloway in 2019 and marked the first world record set at the NCAA Championships in 50 years.
Behind the historic achievement stood Harnden, the Zimbabwean coaching mastermind whose impact on collegiate and international athletics continues to grow.
A two-time Olympian in the 400m hurdles for Zimbabwe, Harnden understands better than most what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Since transitioning into coaching, he has built an impressive résumé spanning more than two decades in NCAA Division One athletics.
Harnden joined Auburn University’s coaching staff in 2022 and has played a pivotal role in transforming the Tigers into one of America’s premier track and field programmes.
His influence was evident during the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships when Auburn’s men’s team finished runners-up nationally, while he also coached four athletes who went on to compete at the Paris Olympic Games.
His coaching success extends well beyond Tharp.
Among the athletes currently under Harnden’s guidance is Zimbabwean sprint star Makanakaishe Charamba, who has emerged as one of Africa’s fastest men and one of Zimbabwe’s brightest hopes for future global medals.
Harnden’s expertise has also helped develop several elite international athletes including Nigerian sprint stars Kayinsola Ajayi and Israel Okon as well as American hurdler Maia McCoy.
For Zimbabwean athletics followers, Harnden’s achievements are particularly significant given his long-standing contribution to the country’s sprinting success.
Over the years, he has worked with some of Zimbabwe’s greatest track and field athletes, including former Olympic finalist and national record holder Ngonidzashe Makusha, sprint ace Gabriel Mvumvure and Olympic sprinter Brian Dzingai.
His influence has helped shape multiple generations of Zimbabwean athletes who have gone on to excel at NCAA, international and Olympic level.
The latest world record by Tharp is yet another testament to Harnden’s ability to develop world-class talent.
Tharp entered the NCAA Championships with a personal best of 13.01 seconds and admitted afterwards that while he expected to run faster, he never imagined taking more than a quarter of a second off his best time and rewriting the world record books in the process.
The Auburn star will now attempt to defend his NCAA title in Friday’s final, while Harnden’s growing reputation as one of the world’s elite sprint and hurdles coaches continues to soar.
As Zimbabwe celebrates a new generation of athletics stars making headlines around the globe, Harnden remains one of the country’s most successful exports in the coaching ranks — a quiet architect behind some of the sport’s biggest performances and a mentor helping shape the future of sprinting on the world stage.