The Auburn men’s track and field team broke two school records, equaled another and had four individuals and one relay qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships during the third day of the NCAA East Preliminaries Friday. Favour Ashe, Makanakaishe Charamba and Kanyinsola Ajayi all wrote their names in the school record books while each punching tickets to the outdoor championships at Eugene, Oregon in two weeks.
“We are building something special, and we’ve got some exciting things going,” Auburn head coach Leroy Burrell said. “I think a lot of our performances here will carry through to Eugene. We’re not done yet. It’s certainly rounding out for an opportunity for us to finish the season strong and bring some glory to the program.”
Ashe broke his own school record in the 100m dash, equaling the nation’s top time and breaking the facility record, crossing in 9.94, to earn his third trip to the NCAAs. Running in the same heat and lane next to Ashe, Ajayi tied a 16-year-old school freshman record as the first-year Tiger was second overall in 10.03.
A transfer from Division II Carson-Newman, Charamba broke Auburn great and Olympian Coby Miller’s 200m school record set in 2000, running a 19.95 with a strong last 150m to take fourth overall. The Division II NCAA champion a year ago at 100m and 200m, Charamba earned his first trip to outdoor championships at the highest level.
Auburn’s newest SEC champion Ja’Kobe Tharp qualified in the 110m hurdles, running a 13.24, the top time of the event to become Auburn’s first freshman NCAA qualifier in the event since James Walker in 1976.
