Jaydon Hibbert, hailed as Jamaica’s “WunderKid,” has had a exceptional and history-making 12 months on this planet of athletics, solidifying his standing as some of the thrilling athletes of 2023.
At simply 18 years previous, Hibbert achieved the unprecedented feat of turning into the youngest recipient of The Bowerman Award, the best collegiate honor in observe and discipline.
His exceptional achievements in 2023 embody a flawless NCAA season the place he claimed victory in each the SEC and NCAA triple leap competitions, establishing an undefeated file. Furthermore, he obliterated a 38-year-old outside collegiate triple leap file that had not been challenged because the Eighties.
Distinctive sense of favor and confidence
Hibbert’s accomplishments prolong past the observe, as he made a memorable entrance on the award ceremony donning a classy child pink swimsuit, a furry white coat draped over his shoulders, and assertion sun shades, showcasing his distinctive sense of favor and confidence.
As an athlete, Hibbert holds the title of the 2023 world chief within the triple leap with a formidable mark of 17.87 meters. Notably, he’s the only real particular person beneath the age of 20 ranked among the many high 50 triple jumpers on this planet.
Along with his exceptional achievements, Jaydon Hibbert is on a path to becoming a member of the ranks of Jamaican observe and discipline legends equivalent to Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Highest honor a student-athlete can obtain in collegiate observe and discipline
The Bowerman, usually likened to the Heisman Trophy in American collegiate soccer, is the best honor a student-athlete can obtain in collegiate observe and discipline. Previous recipients embody observe and discipline icons like Sha’Carri Richardson, Galen Rupp, and Olympic champion Athing Mu.
Hibbert, a local of Kingston, Jamaica, accomplished his freshman 12 months on the College of Arkansas, and his affect on collegiate athletics has been nothing wanting extraordinary. Named the Southeastern Convention (SEC) discipline athlete of the 12 months in each the indoor and outside seasons, one in all his standout moments of the 12 months was his 17.87-meter leap on the SEC Outside Championships, which not solely made him the world chief for the 12 months but in addition positioned him at No. 13 on the all-time world checklist.
Whereas he skilled an harm throughout his debut on the World Athletics Championships, briefly sidelining his gold medal aspirations, Hibbert’s mixture of expertise, type, and record-breaking performances has firmly established him as a rising star on this planet of athletics. Because the youngest-ever recipient of The Bowerman Award, his freshman-year achievements provide a promising glimpse right into a future that follows within the footsteps of Jamaican athletic greats.
Learn: Arkansas freshman Jaydon Hibbert makes history as 2023 Bowerman Award winner
