Jaydon Hibbert expands boundaries in World Champs triple jump

Shawn Price August 19, 2023

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Arkansas triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert produced the farthest distance in World Championships qualifying history with a second round leap of 58 feet, 1 inch (17.70) to earn the only automatic qualifying mark for Monday’s final.

The previous best qualifying mark at a World Championships was 57-7.5 (17.56) by Sweden’s Christian Olsson set in 2003. Hibbert’s effort is his second-best mark of the season behind a world-leading 58-7.5 (17.87) from May.

On the all-dates all-time collegiate list, the mark by Hibbert ranks as fourth best performance and he produced four of the top six marks this season.

Despite being hampered with blood clots recently, Ryan Crouser defended his shot put title with a pair of Championship records of 77-1.75 (23.51). Crouser entered the meet with a meet record of 75-3.25 (22.94) from last summer in Eugene.

Opening his series with a 74-3 (22.63), Crouser improved to a meet record of 75-4.75 (22.98) in the second round, and then closed out the meet with a distance of 77-1.75 (23.51). Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri finished second 73-3.5 (22.34) with American Joe Kovacs third 72-7 (22.12).

Razorback Rosey Effiong ran the second leg of the United States Mixed 4 x 400m relay, which set a World Record of 3 minutes, 8.80 seconds to close out the first day of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Center.

Effiong split 50.38 following a 44.47 lead-off leg by Justin Robinson, and then handed the baton to Matthew Boling (45.13). Trailing Netherlands by a couple of strides on the anchor leg, Alexis Holmes kept USA in contention against a formidable foe in Femke Bol.

Closing the gap on the homestretch caused Bol to overstride and fall near the finish line. Holmes split 48.82 to secure the victory as the United States bettered the previous World Record of 3:09.34 set by USA in 2019. Bol dropped the baton in the process and the Netherlands were listed as did not finish.

The silver medal went to Great Britain (3:11.06) with the Czech Republic (3:11.98) earning a bronze.

Earlier this season Effiong was part of a world indoor best with the Arkansas 4 x 400m squad that won the NCAA Indoor title with a time of 3:21.57 that bettered the outdoor collegiate record as well.

Alum Taliyah Brooks is currently in fourth place in the heptathlon with a tally of 3,888 points from four events. American Anna Hall leads the competition with 3,996 points over a 3,905 score from Britain’s Karina Johnson-Thompson. Just two points ahead of Brooks is another American, Chari Hawkins.

The heptathlon started well for Brooks, in leading the field in the 100m hurdles with a 12.78 (0.4 wind) clocking for 1,158 points. Hall (12.97, 1,129) and Hawkins (13.04 PR, 1,118) followed in second and third from the same heat as Brooks.

In the heptathlon high jump, Brooks cleared 5-10.75 (1.80) for 978 points while Hawkins and Hall both cleared the next height of 6-0 (1.83) for 1,016 points. Hall moved into the overall lead with 2,145 points as Brooks moved to second, nine points behind at 2,136 with Hawkins third at 2,134.

A shot put effort of 44-1.5 (13.45) for 757 points placed Brooks 16th in the field, but a 23.85 in the 200m was third best for 995 points.

During the initial morning session, which was delayed by an hour due to lightning and rain, qualifying was held in the mixed 4 x 400m relay, long jump, and 1,500m for athletes with ties to Arkansas.

Effiong split 50.06 on the second leg of the mixed relay for the United States, who posted a world-leading time of 3:10.41. Second to the USA was Great Britain with 3:11.19 and Belgium third at 3:11.81.

Joining Effiong on the relay were Ryan Willie (46.34), Justin Robinson (43.68), and Alexis Holmes (50.15).

Tara Davis-Woodhall, who trains with Arkansas men’s associate head coach Travis Geofert, led the long jump qualifying with a solo attempt that measured 22-6.5 (6.87) and advanced to Sunday’s final.

Nikki Hiltz finished third in the opening heat of the 1,500m, posting a time of 4:03.76 behind the Netherland’s Sifan Hassan (4:02.92) and Great Britain’s Laura Muir (4:03.50). Racing in the second heat, Carina Viljoen placed 12th with a 4:11.02.

Rojé Stona threw the discus 205-7 (62.67) to place 20 overall in the qualifying round. The distance to claim the 12th position to reach the final was 209-0 (63.72). An injury prevented Jah-Nhai Perinchief from completing his first attempt in the triple jump.