Bowerman winner Jaydon Hibbert opts for professional career

FAYETTEVILLE – Following a historic freshman season punctuated by winning the Bowerman in December, Razorback sophomore Jaydon Hibbert announced his decision to turn professional on Thursday evening via social media.

Hibbert, who celebrated his 19th birthday last week, produced a world-leading triple jump mark in 2023, dominated the competition in sweeping a total of four SEC and NCAA titles during the indoor and outdoor seasons, and broke multiple records during his undefeated collegiate campaign with Arkansas.

“We’re so proud of Jaydon and all that he’s accomplished here as a Razorback in such a short period of time,” said Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “Just really, really happy that he’s able to take this next step and go to the next level.

“It’s just really a sense of satisfaction and pride for somebody that young to go onto the next level. It’s pretty unique. We wish him nothing but the best.”

Razorback associate head coach Travis Geopfert noted: “I’m super excited for him. It’s a great opportunity that he’s earned. I’m really excited for the work he’s put in already this year and how that’s going to pay off in this coming year.

“We’re going to focus on the outdoor season and training is going extremely well. I’m really happy for him. He’s a lot stronger, getting faster, and working on some technical things he can still clean up despite all that success. There is always room for improvement.”

Hibbert came to Arkansas as 17-year-old in the fall of 2022 after finishing high school a year early at Kingston College in Jamaica. Then, even while going through a spell of growing pains, he accomplished amazing things as a collegiate freshman, which included breaking NCAA records that were four decades old.

The first male freshman to claim the Bowerman, Hibbert became the youngest person, male or female, to win the prestigious honor that USTFCCCA started in 2009.

Hibbert’s Bowerman presentation included a video message from current world record holder Jonathan Edwards of Great Britain, who acknowledged that the young 5-11 Jamaican would be the person to break his world record of 60-0.25 (18.29) set in 1995.

On his Instagram post, Hibbert noted: “University of Arkansas, you have been more than just a school to me. You’ve been a family. To all my coaches, teammates, and professors, you’ve shaped me into the athlete and person I am today.

“You’ve instilled in me the Razorback spirit which I’ll carry with me on my professional journey.”

In becoming the Arkansas school record holder, Hibbert surpassed a Razorback legend in Mike Conley. First, Hibbert broke Conley’s indoor collegiate record of 57-1 (17.40) with a 57-6.5 (17.54) NCAA Indoor winning performance at altitude in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on his only attempt.

Outdoors, Hibbert astonished the crowd in Baton Rouge during the SEC Championships with his winning leap of 58-7.5 (17.87) on a second attempt that broke the NCAA record of 57-7.75 (17.57) set in 1982 by SMU’s Keith Connor.

It also topped the Arkansas school record of 57-6.5 (17.54) set by Conley in 1985. Hibbert matched the career best mark Conley made as a professional as both are equal No. 13 on the all-time world list.

“To break the indoor and outdoor collegiate records, obviously with the Arkansas school record, his stamp on the history of NCAA track and field is already there in a very short period of time,” stated Geopfert. “We are going to forever celebrate his achievements. His name is in the history books forever and I’m excited for his name to be in the history books on the world stage as well.”

In starting his professional career, Hibbert will remain in familiar surroundings with the Arkansas program.

“We have a great group of post-collegian Razorbacks that are here training now,” noted Bucknam. “Everything is here for him and it’s a great way of life. He’s going to thrive at the next level.

“It’s a blessing in disguise for us, because we lose a great athlete, but we haven’t lost him. He’s a Razorback forever and he’ll be here training with Coach Geopfert. This is what we do, right, we try to change lives. It’s a major accomplishment, and we always tell them if you’re going to go pro make it transformational. Get something that is beyond your wildest dreams.”

The distance by Hibbert in completing his sweep of SEC triple jump titles in the month of May remained the world-leading mark for the rest of the year. For the 2023 season Hibbert produced four of the top nine performances in the world with a trio of leaps surpassing 58 feet.

World U20 records were also captured by Hibbert, bettering the indoor mark set in 2017 and the outdoor version established in 1985. Hibbert became the Jamaican national record holder indoors, and ranks second all-time outdoors behind James Beckord’s 58-9.5 (17.92) from the 1995 NJCAA Championships in Odessa, Texas.

Following his extraordinary collegiate campaign that included a total of seven victories, Hibbert qualified for the World Athletics Championships this past summer in Budapest, Hungary, and promptly set a Championship record for the best mark in the qualifying round with a distance of 58-1 (17.70), the second best jump in his career.

An injury prevented Hibbert from competing in the World final, but his mark from the qualifying round bettered the gold medal effort of 57-10.5 (17.64).

“This journey has been filled with unforgettable moments, victories, and lessons that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” Hibbert wrote. “The roar of the crowd at every track meet, the camaraderie, the grind, the triumphs, and even the injuries … each has carved a piece of my heart and soul.”

Already possessing the Olympic qualifying mark for Paris, Hibbert would become just the fifth Jamaican male to qualify for an Olympic triple jump, joining a pair of Razorbacks in Carey McLeod (2021 Tokyo) and Clive Pullen (2016 Rio de Janeiro) along with Lennox Burgher (1968 Mexico City) and Henry Jackson (1972 Munich).