NEW YORK – Austin Peay State University's Tahmar Upshaw is back on the national stage, with the redshirt senior preparing to compete in the 1500M at the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships at 1:17 p.m. (CT), Saturday, at Icahn Stadium.

Upshaw broke the Americas T46 1500M Americas record at the USATF LA Grand Prix, June 13. Upshaw posted a 3:52.69 in Los Angeles, surpassing the previous record of 3:54.43 set by Brazil's Alex Pres da Silva, Oct. 22, 2015.

In addition to defending his record, Upshaw also will race for the T46 World Record (3:46.51) which has been held by Australia's Michael Roeger since 1988.

The April 24 USATF Athlete of the Week – the first Governor to ever earn the honor – Upshaw, also became the first known world record holder in Austin Peay Athletics history, racing a 1:48.80 in the 800-meter at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, April 17. That mark bested the previous world record of 1:51.82 held by Australia's Hunter Matzinger at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. It also is just 8.11 seconds off Kenya's David Rudisha during the 2012 London Olympic Games.

A Murfreesboro native, Upshaw also led the APSU men's cross country team across its final five meets of the 2025 season, setting a personal best in the 8K each race during the fall.

Upshaw joined the Governors prior to the 2025-26 academic year, transferring from Middle Tennessee where he did not compete in intercollegiate athletics. Upshaw began his collegiate career at Cumberland, where he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons from 2022-24, winning six events during his time with the Phoenix.