Hibbert tops field in triple jump

Former Kingston College (KC) athlete Jaydon Hibbert tasted success in his first competitive indoor outing for the University of Arkansas at the weekend. He captured the men’s triple jump with a personal best of 16.73 metres at the New Mexico Collegiate Classics held at the Albuquerque Convention Centre.

Hibbert, last year’s World Under-20 champion in the event in Cali, Colombia, had identical marks with his first two attempts then passed on his next four and was delighted with his win.

“I am feeling good. I went off a short approach and got a personal best with a huge leap and I am just grateful,” said Hibbert.

He credited his coach for his big win.“The meet was different from I am used to, but my coach made it feel the same with continuous encouragement and continuous instructions and it felt better as the competition progressed,” Hibbert said.

Former Jamaica College standout Apalos Edwards, now competing for Louisiana State University (LSU), was third with 16.13m, while Hibbert’s teammate and former KC jumper Carey McLeod was fourth with 16. 04m.

There were also wins at the meet for Wayne Pinnock, Ackelia Smith, Lamara Distin and Julien Alfred while Demisha Roswell and Omar McLeod had second place finishes in their events .

Pinnock, a KC past student who also attends the University of Arkansas, only used one attempt to record his winning mark of 8.10m in the the men’s long jump as he passed with his next five attempts.

In the men’s 60m hurdles, Olympian McLeod, representing Puma, took second in 7.61 seconds as Omotade Ojora of the University of South Carolina won in 7.58.

National representative Ackelia Smith, competing for the University of Texas, had a best of 13 .92m to win the women’s triple jump. She made just one attempt and passed on the next five.

Lamara Distin, competing for Texas A&M University, had an impressive win in the women’s high jump. She cleared the bar at 1.94m with her teammate Bora Sejokova taking second with 1.87m.

Sprinter Julien Alfred, who had a short stint at St Catherine High School and who now attends University of Texas, had a win and a second-place finish at the meet. She captured the 60m in 7.00 seconds to improve on her previous best of 7.02. She also finished second overall in the 200m in 22.56 seconds after winning her section. Favour Ofilli of Louisiana State University won her section and overall top spot in 22.55.

Demisha Roswell, a former Vere Technical High athlete, clocked 8.03 seconds for second in the 60m hurdles. Leah Phillips of LSU won in 8.02.