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UNITED States-based Zimbabwean track and field icon Ken Harnden says he is “incredibly grateful” after being named head coach of the Auburn University track and field programme.
His promotion was announced by the college’s athletics director John Cohen.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Auburn track and field programme,” Harnden said.
“I have always believed in surrounding yourself with great people… If you trust your training and do the hard things, it will resonate for the rest of your life.”
Harnden coaches Zimbabwe superstar sprinter Makanakaishe Charamba, having also mentored Ngoni Makusha.
He is a former Olympic hurdler who represented Zimbabwe in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.
He spent four seasons as Auburn’s assistant head coach.
His promotion followed a legendary 23-year career in NCAA Division I coaching, which includes stints at Florida State and Tennessee.
He is an eight-time national assistant Coach of the Year, including five times at Auburn.
Harnden has made a historic impact since joining Auburn in July 2022, helping the Tigers to four consecutive trophies at the NCAA championships including five top-six finishes.
Named the USTFCCCA Division I Men’s National Assistant Coach of the Year five consecutive times, including twice indoors and three straight outdoors, Harnden’s Auburn sprinters have collectively won six individual national championships, two relay national titles and six Southeastern Conference titles.
In his four years on the Plains, of the 168 points scored by the Tiger men at NCAA indoor and outdoor meets, an amazing 96 percent (161 points) came from Harnden-coached athletes.
With 23 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience under his belt, Harnden’s student-athletes have earned 31 individual NCAA championships, four relay national titles and more than 200 first team All-America honors. Additionally,
Harnden has coached 24 Olympians, been a part of five NCAA team championships and is an eight-time winner of the USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
At Auburn, Harnden developed world record hurdler Ja’Kobe Tharp, who is a two-time finalist for The Bowerman Award, presented annually to the nation’s top male and female track athlete.
He has also had three athletes earn Southeastern Conference Runner of the Year honours and break three collegiate records.
This past year, Harnden coached NCAA champions Tharp and Kayinsola Ajayi, who swept the sprint hurdles and short sprint national championships both indoors and outdoors.
Tharp won his fourth straight hurdles national title at the 2026 outdoor championships, winning the 110-metre hurdles after breaking the world record in the event during the semi-finals round with a 12.75.
It was the first time in 50 years that a world record had been broken at the NCAA championship.
Ajayi meanwhile broke the 60-meter collegiate record indoors in 6.45 en route to a gold medal. The Nigerian followed with another national title outdoors at 100 meters, winning the school’s first title in the event since Stanley Floyd in 1980.
Ajayi became just the second sprinter in school history to sweep the indoor and outdoor sprint titles, joining Harvey Glance, who won both in 1976. The men’s 4×100-meter relay also broke a collegiate record in the semifinals with a time of 37.75. For his efforts,
Last year, Harnden’s sprint group led Auburn to a third-place finish indoors and a fourth-place trophy outdoors behind Tharp’s winning performances in the 60-metre hurdles indoors and 110-metre hurdles outdoors.
The 4×100 relay of Azeem Fahmi, Ajayi, Dario Matau and Makanakishe Charamba won the program’s second consecutive NCAA outdoor title clocking a 37.97 to equal the meet record. – Agencies/Auburn
UNITED States-based Zimbabwean track and field icon Ken Harnden says he is “incredibly grateful” after being named head coach of the Auburn University track and field programme.
His promotion was announced by the college’s athletics director John Cohen.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Auburn track and field programme,” Harnden said.
“I have always believed in surrounding yourself with great people… If you trust your training and do the hard things, it will resonate for the rest of your life.”
Harnden coaches Zimbabwe superstar sprinter Makanakaishe Charamba, having also mentored Ngoni Makusha.
He is a former Olympic hurdler who represented Zimbabwe in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.
He spent four seasons as Auburn’s assistant head coach.
His promotion followed a legendary 23-year career in NCAA Division I coaching, which includes stints at Florida State and Tennessee.
He is an eight-time national assistant Coach of the Year, including five times at Auburn.
Harnden has made a historic impact since joining Auburn in July 2022, helping the Tigers to four consecutive trophies at the NCAA championships including five top-six finishes.
Named the USTFCCCA Division I Men’s National Assistant Coach of the Year five consecutive times, including twice indoors and three straight outdoors, Harnden’s Auburn sprinters have collectively won six individual national championships, two relay national titles and six Southeastern Conference titles.
In his four years on the Plains, of the 168 points scored by the Tiger men at NCAA indoor and outdoor meets, an amazing 96 percent (161 points) came from Harnden-coached athletes.
With 23 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience under his belt, Harnden’s student-athletes have earned 31 individual NCAA championships, four relay national titles and more than 200 first team All-America honors. Additionally,
Harnden has coached 24 Olympians, been a part of five NCAA team championships and is an eight-time winner of the USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
At Auburn, Harnden developed world record hurdler Ja’Kobe Tharp, who is a two-time finalist for The Bowerman Award, presented annually to the nation’s top male and female track athlete.
He has also had three athletes earn Southeastern Conference Runner of the Year honours and break three collegiate records.
This past year, Harnden coached NCAA champions Tharp and Kayinsola Ajayi, who swept the sprint hurdles and short sprint national championships both indoors and outdoors.
Tharp won his fourth straight hurdles national title at the 2026 outdoor championships, winning the 110-metre hurdles after breaking the world record in the event during the semi-finals round with a 12.75.
It was the first time in 50 years that a world record had been broken at the NCAA championship.
Ajayi meanwhile broke the 60-meter collegiate record indoors in 6.45 en route to a gold medal. The Nigerian followed with another national title outdoors at 100 meters, winning the school’s first title in the event since Stanley Floyd in 1980.
Ajayi became just the second sprinter in school history to sweep the indoor and outdoor sprint titles, joining Harvey Glance, who won both in 1976. The men’s 4×100-meter relay also broke a collegiate record in the semifinals with a time of 37.75. For his efforts,
Last year, Harnden’s sprint group led Auburn to a third-place finish indoors and a fourth-place trophy outdoors behind Tharp’s winning performances in the 60-metre hurdles indoors and 110-metre hurdles outdoors.
The 4×100 relay of Azeem Fahmi, Ajayi, Dario Matau and Makanakishe Charamba won the program’s second consecutive NCAA outdoor title clocking a 37.97 to equal the meet record. – Agencies/Auburn
