Jaydon Hibbert credits Turkey support after 17.02m Rome Diamond League return

Jaydon Hibbert’s 17.02-metre effort at the Rome Diamond League has put his comeback firmly in motion, and the Jamaican-born triple jumper says Turkey played a central role in helping him recover mentally and emotionally from a serious injury. He also used an interview with The Inside Lane after his season opener to accuse Jamaica’s sporting leadership of leaving him without support during a painful stage of his career.

The mark was an important step for Hibbert, who had been out with a bone injury since the Paris Olympic Games. “My mind is so full right now. I’m lost for words, but I’m feeling so good. I am so excited, I’m so happy, I’m so thankful to God,” he said.

Hibbert, 21, said he returned to training only in February and is still working under medical limits. “I’ve been dreaming of this 17 since I started training in February…But, oh my gosh, short approach. 17.02? And I’m not really in my competition training yet? It’s going to be crazy late this year,” he said.

He said the way his body held up through six rounds gave him added confidence, even though he was not able to complete his final attempt. “My knee’s not hurting. I’m just cramping up. That’s why I didn’t finish the last jump. My body, my nervous system is shattered. I haven’t done this in a year, you know?” he continued.

The early rounds, he explained, were cautious because he was still learning to trust his body again. Hibbert said he was hesitant through the first three attempts and did not attack the runway properly. By the next effort, he decided to run freely and commit to the jump, saying he told himself, “Let me just run, run, nothing nah happen.” He said he is now looking toward another strong performance at next week’s Diamond League meet in Oslo.

Hibbert said his road back to competition was shaped by the help he received after transferring allegiance to Turkey. He said the absence of care after he was injured was one of the reasons behind that move. “This is the right space for me,” Hibbert said.

According to Hibbert, nobody from Jamaica’s sporting leadership contacted him after the injury to ask how he was coping. “There were times when I had nobody to speak to. Nobody checked in. Especially the way I got injured, I got injured through negligence. And the fact that no one deliberately tried to reach out. And when I say no one, you know who I’m speaking about. You feel me? Nobody reached out,” he said.

He said the only approach he remembered from Jamaican officials came when he was expected to enter trials last year for Tokyo. “The only call I got was when I was supposed to sign up for the trials last year for Tokyo. That was the only call. And they were like, ‘Mr Hibbert, I don’t see you sign up’… I’m like, bro, do you even know if I’m healthy to even come to the trials? And it goes to show you that they can reach out. They can call. They can check up,” Hibbert said.

He contrasted that with Turkey’s handling of his rehabilitation, saying the process began by treating his state of mind. “Turkey, they’re big on psychology. And that’s the first step in my recovery that they took. Psychology.”

Hibbert said his first two weeks in rehabilitation were spent mostly with a psychologist, with sessions twice daily. “Two weeks and twice per day. And I just spill it out and mi bawl mi gwaan and mi bawl and mi gwaan. One of the time dem, the man never understand weh mi talk cause mi start talk inna patois. But yes, mi cry man, mi cry because it was just so depressing,” he said. He added that he is now “just in a better space.”

The triple jumper said the backing from his new federation has made him feel cared for and part of a dependable system. “They’re big on my recovery and it feels like family. It feels like a construct that I can depend on in times of need cause a nuh every day, it a go happy and jolly. You feel me? But I’m just thankful for them. I’m thankful to God that he put them in my space to reignite me.”

Hibbert said he remains grateful to Jamaica for recognising and shaping his ability, but he believes the country’s sporting leadership let him down when he was most vulnerable. “I’m thankful to Jamaica too because a dem identify my talent and build me,” he said. “But I’d be lying if the leaders of the sporting entity didn’t break me.”

“So I’m thankful to Turkey for rebuilding me. And it’s just up from here,” Hibbert added.