Hibbert dominance always on the cards – Delisser

WHEN 18-YEAR-OLD former Kingston College jumper, Jaydon Hibbert, ripped up all the records in winning the NCAA Division One Indoor title in his first championships for the University of Arkansas, his former high school coach, Jeremy Delisser, was not surprised.

Like he did at last year’s World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, when he won the gold medal with his first attempt in the triple jump, last Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Hibbert’s massive personal best of 17.54 metres to win the title came from the start. In the process, Hibbert rewrote the record books. The mark erased the national senior record of 17.19, set by Clive Pullen in 2017; the 17.20m World Under-20 indoor mark set by Marvin Raffin of France in 2017; Charlie Simpkins 17.50-metre collegiate best, set in 1980; and Marquis Dendy’s meet record of 17.37 metres, done in 2015.

“Jaydon did not surprise me. Honestly, I am expecting more from him. They know I set the bar high and my goal for him is the 18-metre barrier. Having said that, it is a great achievement, he had to stay healthy, train hard and go out there and execute,” said Delisser.

Delisser, who also coached Carey McLeod, who won the long jump, and Ackelia Smith, who won silver in the women’s long jump and bronze in the triple jump for the Universty of Texas, Austin, also expects Hibbert outdoor season to continue in the same vein.

“Improvement, getting more personal best and getting closer to the 18-metre barrier. As I said before, I am expecting more barriers to be broken by him.”