Hibbert happy with return after Bermuda GP victory
TRIPLE jump phenom Jaydon Hibbert said he surprised himself with his wind-aided 17.33m (4.3m/s) jump that won the United States of America Track and Field Federation Bermuda Grand Prix — a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting at Flora Duffy Stadium in Devonshire on Sunday.
Hibbert was making his professional debut and was competing for the first time in eight months, since the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August and used a shortened run-up, off just eight steps.
He was just one of three Jamaican winners at the meet that saw strong wind gusts affecting the performances with Shiann Salmon winning the women’s 400m hurdles and Stacey-ann Williams winning the women’s 400m.
Hibbert, who also said he was “excited” to be back in competition, added, “Twice, I was over 17.00m today, from eight steps. That is massive; my PB before was 16.7 indoors last year. So I am just enjoying the process right now, the comeback will be greater ... I am so excited.”
He explained that the shortened approach was being used to help ease into his return to competitive action.
“Because it’s my first meet since Budapest, I want to ease back into it as I have forgotten what it feels like and want to give my body that muscle memory that it deserves,” Hibbert said. “I kind of overdid myself. I was expecting 17m, but I was not expecting 17.3. I don’t know.”
Bermudan Jah-nhai Perinchief was second with 17.13m (4.5m/s) and Jamaican Jordan Scott placed third with 17.05m (3.8m/s).
Salmon also won on her season debut, running 56.59 seconds to come from behind and beat American Cassandra Tate 57.04 seconds with Aminat Jamal of Bahrain third with 57.94 seconds. Jamaican Sanique Walker was seventh in 1:01.06 seconds.
Williams clocked 51.71 seconds to win ahead of Jessika Gbai of the Ivory Coast, 53.00 seconds and Mexican Paola Moran, 53.21 seconds, while Junelle Bromfield was fifth with 54.09 seconds and hurdles specialist Rushell Clayton sixth with 54.48 seconds.
Chanice Porter was second in the women’s long jump with a wind-aided 6.62m (3.9m/s), behind American Monae Nichols’ 6.91m (4.0m/s), while Jamaican national champion Tissanna Hickling was fifth with 6.33m (4.7m/s).
First-year professional Alana Reid was third in the women’s 100m in 11.29 seconds (2.2m/s) and Kemba Nelson was fourth with 11.30 seconds behind the American pair of Tamari Davis 11.04 seconds and Kortnei Johnson, 11.27 seconds.
Yanique Thompson was third in the 100m hurdles in 12.86 seconds (3.4m/s); Demish Gaye was also third in the men’s 400m with 47.15 seconds, behind Grenada’s Kirani James, who won with 46.00 seconds and Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas 47.05 seconds.
Ashanti Moore also placed third in the women’s 200m in 23.12 seconds (3.0m/s), as American Abby Steiner won with 22.71 seconds and Kynnedy Flannel finishing second in 23.01 seconds.
Meanwhile, Kadrian Goldson finished sixth in the men’s 100m in 10.16 seconds (3.0m/s) as American World Champion Noah Lyles won in 9.96 seconds, beating Aaron Brown of Canada 10.09 seconds and another American Pjai Austin10.10 seconds.
Hibbert will be back in action on May 11 at the Jamaica Invitational and June 1 at the Racers Grand Prix.