At the Budapest 23 World Athletics Championships in Hungary, Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert faced significant disappointment. Despite entering the final with the best jump of 17.70m, his performance took an unexpected turn.
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During his first-round attempt, Hibbert seemed to experience tightness in his right leg, causing him to lose momentum and halt his jump.
After consulting with his coach and applying gel to the affected area, Hibbert decided to forgo his next two attempts, effectively ending his participation in the event.
Jaydon Hibbert’s hamstring strain
Hibbert’s coach, Travis Geopfert, confirmed the injury, stating, “Tonight ended with a mild grade 1 hamstring strain on his first attempt.”
“He tried incredibly hard to continue jumping, but it just wasn’t his night,” Geopfert added.
On their way back to the car, Hibbert remarked, “I’m proud of myself and excited for next year, Coach.”
Geopfert responded with praise, saying, “A great athlete and an even better person! We’re all so incredibly proud of you, Hibby.” He continued, “So proud of Jaydon Hibbert! He’s had the most amazing triple jump season in NCAA & World U20 history.”
The event saw Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango clinch his first global title with a jump of 17.64m. Cuban athletes secured the next two spots: Lazaro Martinez won silver with 17.41m, while Cristian Napoles took bronze, achieving a personal best of 17.40m.
