National triple jumper Jaydon Hibbert says he is fuelled by trying to motivate youngsters from his community to follow in his footsteps.

Hibbert, a former Kingston College (KC) athlete from the area of Trench Town, south St Andrew, commonly known as “Mexico”, landed at a distance of 17.87m in May to not only break the World U20 record, and the national senior record but also become the world leader in the event.

He says in spite of certain challenges faced in his heartland of Trench Town, Hibbert cherishes the memories he had growing up in the community.

“Sometimes you had to deal with the light chipping out when you’re doing homework, and the water going, but it’s really not that bad here,” Hibbert told the Jamaica Observer. “One of my fondest memories was watching the football in the community.

“It’s about inspiring the younger athletes and the younger generation in my community,” he said. “The people love me here and they encourage me always. I really love them and I’m just super excited to have come from here and done so well.”

But he is mindful of the importance of not getting carried away, especially at a young age.

“It’s just about remaining humble,” he said. “I’m still 18 and I’ve got about 12 more years in the sport. So, I still have to remain focused and I won’t let everything get to my head.”

Hibbert takes part in the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s National Senior Championships (Trials) at the National Stadium on Sunday with the aim of making Jamaica’s team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, next month. He does not have any specific aims for when he gets on the runway but his plan is just to keep his focus.

This is his general approach to competing, as he did not set out to break the record at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

“I was really excited about it,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. It took me days to soak it in. Honestly, I’m just super happy that it happened.

“I knew that I was in the right frame of mind based on the training my coach gave me for the long term but I didn’t expect 17.87 at that meet. I expected it at the National Trials. I give the glory and the plan to God for that.”

Hibbert credits his increased muscle mass for the jump.

“It was all in the weight room,” he said. “Mostly, I’ve gotten stronger, I’ve learned how to lift properly now. At KC, I was an amateur as it regarded lifting. But now I’ve increased my focus, of course. It’s college and the big guys, but I think the weight room is a major part of my success right now.”