'Why not us, why not now?' - Hibbert bats for younger athletes at major championships

Reigning world under-20 triple jump champion Jaydon Hibbert believes that he and other first-time Olympians can inspire the junior class to not only get to the biggest stage, but to excel.

"I just think about going up the ladder each time. Trying to prove the world wrong, trying to prove the philosophy wrong that young ones can't be here. Alana (Reid) and I are the youngest ones on the team here," said Hibbert.

He noted that there are young athletes looking at how the younger Olympians perform as they hope to take the baton at the Under-20 World Championships in Peru.

"That to me is one of the biggest inspirations for the juniors, especially those who are going to Peru this summer," he said.

Hibbert has qualified for his second major global championships in a row after last year's World Athletic Championships in Budapest.

While he has his own ambition of securing an Olympic medal, he hopes that the juniors will be motivated to make going to the Olympics as a junior the norm rather than the exception.

"It shows that later down at 18,19 you can go to the Olympics. Don't put any limits on yourself," Hibbert said.

- Daniel Wheeler

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