Hibbert’s faith leading him to University of Tennessee
Published:Monday | April 11, 2022 | 12:07 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
Kingston College’s Jaydon Hibbert will embark on a new chapter this fall to begin his college career at the University of Tennessee.
It may be a leap of faith, but it is that faith he says has been critical to his success at the 2022 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletic Championships (Champs).
Hibbert captured the title in the Class One long jump on Wednesday and set a new Champs record in the Class One Boys Triple Jump final on Friday night en route to the title. It is that talent that Tennessee will now have as the 17-year-old is the newest member of their track and field programme. The announcement was made on Wednesday, the same day he captured the long jump crown.
Hibbert’s goals are endless, but he said that the one constant has been his faith in ordering his steps.
“I have so many goals when I go up there. But the main one is to keep God first, put Him first because He is the reason for all of this,” Hibbert said. “I really want to keep my streak of great performances and enjoy the sport.”
Hibbert captured the long jump title with his final attempt, a personal best of 7.87m, and needed only one attempt to break the Champs triple jump record with 16.66m. With the return of the crowd at the National Stadium, Hibbert says it was the crowd that helped him to get over the line.
CONFIDENCE
“I love this crowd. It was on my last attempt in the long jump that I called down the crowd. I got so much confidence. God told me to call the, so I did and I had a massive personal best on my last jump, and I did so again in the triple jump,” Hibbert said. “I did not come into these championships thinking that I would have broken the triple jump record that easily. I would have come first in the long jump because I didn’t have much confidence in the triple jump, but I came out and delivered like my coach wanted and how I wanted.”
Before he makes his move in the fall, his immediate focus will be on the Carifta Games, which start this weekend at the National Stadium, an occasion that he said he will be relishing in front of the home fans.