Hibbert wins historic Bowerman Award

Jamaica's teenage triple jump sensation Jaydon Hibbert says winning the prestigious Bowerman Award has made up for his disappointment at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary this past summer.

Hibbert became the first Jamaican to win the prestigious award which is given to the most outstanding male and female collegiate athlete the year. It  was presented at glitzy ceremony in Denver, Colorado on Thrusday.

18 year old Hibbert is also the first freshman to ever win the award and the second from the University of Arkansas after Jarrion Lawson won in in 2016.

Hibbert swept NCAA and SEC titles in the triple jump indoors and outdoors as a freshman and set two collegiate records.

The former Kingston College standout won the ncaa indoor title with a leap of 17.54 meters to break the previous collegiate record set in 1986.

At the SEC Outdoor Championships, Hibbert leapt  17.87 metres to break the previous mark which was set at the 1982 NCAA  meet.

Hibbert who also won the NCAA outdoor title, was the gold medal favourite at the World Championships in Budapest before suffering a hamstring injury at the championships

It was Caribbean delight on the night as former St Catherine High standout, sprinter Julien Alfred of St Lucia won the female award.