KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert came up just short of winning a medal in the men’s triple jump at the Olympic Games as he finished fourth with 17.61m (-0.9m/s) behind three Cuban-born jumpers.

Hibbert, who competed with a heavily strapped left knee, made a gallant effort but failed to get on the medal podium with a mere three centimetres out of third place.

He bypassed his final round effort, a possible indication that he was not fully fit going into the competition.

The 19-year-old missed out on a chance of winning his first senior medal last year when he was injured in the final at the World Championships.

During Friday’s final he started with a mark of 17.31m (0.3m/s), jumped 17.61m in the second round and the 17.53m (0.0m/s) before fouling on his next two attempts.

Spain’s Jordan Alejandro Diaz Fortun won with 17.86m (0.1m/s), two centimetres ahead of defending champion Pedro Pitchardo of Portugal-17.84m (0.2m/s) and Andy Diaz Hernandez of Italy was third with a season’s best 17.64m (0.7m/s)

-Paul A Reid