Jaydon Hibbert runner-up in Diamond League triple jump

MONACO – Competing in his first Diamond League triple jump, Razorback Jaydon Hibbert finished second after leading the competition from round four with a mark of 57 feet, 11.25 inches (17.66).

The final jump of the competition by 30-year-old Hugues Fabrice Zango produced a winning mark of 58-1 (17.70), moving him from third to first. The previous best for Zango, the 2022 World silver medalist and 2021 Olympic bronze medalist from Burkina Faso, prior to the final round was 56-3.25 (17.15) from the opening round.

Contesting five of his six attempts, 18-year-old Hibbert produced the following series: 56-0 (17.07), 56-6.5 (17.23), 55-10.25 (17.02), 57-11.25 (17.66), pass, 57-6.25 (17.53). His second and fourth rounds jumps moved him into the lead. Hibbert’s best mark had a +1.7 wind.

Yasser Triki, the 2018 NCAA champion with Texas A&M who finished fifth in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, placed third with a mark of 56-10 (17.32), which claimed the lead in round three.

In championship events, the leader of the competition jumps last in the final three rounds. However, in Diamond League meets, the leader jumps first in rounds four and five. Then in the sixth round, athletes with the three leading marks only get another attempt, with the leader going first.

On the collegiate all-dates list, Hibbert’s mark in Monaco ranks as the fifth best performance. Hibbert has three of the top five marks with his collegiate record of 58-7.5 (17.87) as well as his winning mark of 58-0.25 (17.68) from the Jamaica Championships this summer.