KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jaydon Hibbert’s triple jump indoor best of 17.54m has been ratified by World Athletics as the Under 20 World Record.

The ratification was announced in a media release published on the World Athletics website on Thursday.

Eighteen-year-old Hibbert, who just completed his first year at the University of Arkansas and who is set to make his Wanda Diamond League debut on Friday, won the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque on March 11, hitting the world-leading mark in the first round.

“Not only did he break the collegiate record that had stood since 1986, he also broke the world U20 indoor record of 17.20m – previously set by France’s Melvin Raffin in Belgrade on 3 March 2017 – and the outright world U20 record of 17.50m set by East Germany’s Volker Mai in Erfurt on 23 June 1985,” the release said.

Hibbert, who retained his Jamaican national men’s triple jump title weeks ago, would jump further outdoors when he won the South-Eastern Conference outdoor title with an outdoor personal best of 17.87m.

“The mark has been submitted for ratification; if approved, that will stand as the outdoor world U20 record, while his 17.54m leap will remain at the world U20 indoor record,” the release also said.

-Paul A Reid