Why Jaydon Hibbert is one of the most exciting athletes of 2023
As the youngest athlete to ever receive the Bowerman, Jamaica’s “WunderKid” is bursting through the bounds of track and field with an undefeated NCAA year…and he’s only a freshman
Athletics
Jamaica’s “WunderKid” Jaydon Hibbert capped off a world-class year by becoming the youngest person to ever receive Athletics’ highest collegiate accolade, The Bowerman.
Having swept the SEC and NCAA triple jump titles in an undefeated season and destroying the 38-year-old outdoor collegiate record that had not been contested since the 80s are just the tip of the iceberg for Hibberts’ 2023 headlines. The kicker: he’s still a freshman.
Known for more than just his bound-breaking triple jump skills, the 18-year-old Jamaican strutted into the award ceremony in a baby pink suit with a furry white coat hanging over his shoulders with statement sunglasses.
“One piece a hot boy,” he humorously wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) page.
Still a teenager, “Hibby” is the 2023 world leader in the triple jump with a mark of 17.87m and is the only person under the age of 20 in the top 50 spots.
He is en route to joining Jamaican track and field greats including Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah.
The Bowerman – track and field’s equivalent to American collegiate football's well-known award, the Heisman – is the highest honor a student-athlete can receive at a collegiate level. Each year, the award is given to the most outstanding NCAA male and female.
Past winners include track and field legends Sha’Carri Richardson, Galen Rupp and Olympic champion Athing Mu.
Jaydon Hibbert’s - college freshman
Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, Hibbert just wrapped up his first year at the University of Arkansas and has already left an indelible mark on collegiate athletics.
Named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) field athlete of the year in both the indoor and outdoor seasons, one of his most notable performances of the year was his 17.87m jump in Baton Rouge at the SEC Outdoor Championships that not only set him as world leader for the year, but No. 13 on the all-time world list.
Taking it international, Hibbert took the Jamaica Championships triple jump title at home in July before making his debut at the World Athletics Championships, but unfortunately suffered an injury to his right leg, taking him out of gold medal contention.
With a combination of skill, style and a trail of broken records, Jaydon Hibbert has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the world of athletics. As the youngest recipient of the Bowerman, his freshman year of accomplishments promise a future following in the footsteps of Jamaican greats.