Jaydon Hibbert Wins The Bowerman In 2023

AURORA, Colo. — His Instagram handle is “@_.wunderkid_” for a reason.

Jaydon Hibbert became the youngest winner – and the first male freshman – to win The Bowerman. Hibbert took home collegiate track & field’s highest honor on Thursday night as the 2023 USTFCCCA Convention wrapped up at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.

The 18-year-old phenom topped a talented group of finalists that also included record-breaking combined eventers Kyle Garland and Leo Neugebauer.

Hibbert, who hails from Kingston, Jamaica, bounded his way into – and through – the record book in 2023. The Arkansas star swept the NCAA triple jump titles and unified the indoor and outdoor collegiate records with a 17.54m (57-6½) effort indoors to win that NCAA crown, followed by a majestic 17.87m (58-7½) outdoors at the SEC Championships. Both of those marks also shattered longstanding World U20 records and his outdoor mark was the world’s best in 2023.

Even more impressive is that Hibbert only needed 12 jumps all season to accomplish those feats. Plus, both of those collegiate records stood for more than 35 years – twice his age – before they fell at his feet.

Hibbert is the second male athlete from Arkansas to capture The Bowerman, joining 2016 winner Jarrion Lawson. Arkansas, with Hibbert and Lawson, is now the fourth men’s program with multiple winners.