2023 Moments Of The Year
Appointment Viewing
After the race above, I don't think there is any doubt that Rockvale's Jakobe Tharp will be remembered as the greatest high hurdler in Tennessee history. His 13.32 is the All-Conditions #1 All-Time by 0.36 seconds while his 13.72 from Great Eight is the Regular Season State Record. The unfortunate part is he won't have his name next to all of the records.
This event and it's record were the catalyst for me to create a State Meet Record Book. Prior to 2019, the recognized record for this event was held by Jeff Powell at 13.84 who set it in 1981. That spring, Brevin Sims would run 13.68 at a smaller meet in Chattanooga and at the state meet would again run under the record just slightly at 13.80. That's when I discovered the 13.68 didn't really count as records can only be ratified if certain conditions are in place. It ultimately boils down to two things: was there a wind reading and was there a TSSAA Official present?
At the State Meet, his 13.32 was run under a +3.0m/s wind reading nullifying it from Sims' 13.80. The same befell Harrison Williams who ran 13.79 with a +2.5 in 2014 who would have broken Powell's. Tharp's fastest wind-legal mark will be the 13.72 which was run under a +0.3 (below).
On top of that, he ran under fourteen seconds ten times in his career which is the most of any hurdler during their scholastic career. Tharp now attends Auburn University where he's set to run indoor for the first time in his career this winter. During high school, he was always playing basketball and never partook in the unofficial season. Very excited to see his debut in that arena.
