DESPITE his recent switch in allegiance to Turkey, signalling the end of his on-field ties to the black, green and gold, world-record-holding triple jump sensation Jaydon Hibbert is not turning his back on home, honouring his roots with a $390,000 donation to his early childhood alma mater.

“Today I’m at the Citizens Advice Bureau Basic School to give back to the track team, the same track team that discovered my talent and helped to nurture it. This is really just the start of something big that I’m planning to do here because they, too, have a lot of athletes doing well, and they transition athletes really well too. I’m just playing my part in advancing sport in the country,” the 21-year-old told the Jamaica Observer Thursday after handing over the cheque to the school’s principal, Nigel Francis, at the Beechwood Avenue institution.

Holding the World U-20 record in the triple jump (17.87m), and securing gold at the 2023 NCAA Championships, Hibbert explained that his transition to track and field history began after receiving scholarships to, first, Vaz Preparatory School, where he participated in the 400 meters and long jump, then Kingston College (KC), where triple jump became his staple event.

“I think it was one sports day in class three. I was really just freelancing at the sports day. I was good, but I wasn’t that good. And they saw talent and Citizens Advice Bureau Basic School, they kind of initiated that scholarship. And they helped me to transition well to preparatory school,” he said, adding that he then transitioned to Kingston College.

“My last year at Vaz, I did high jump, which I won the gold medal at the preparatory championships. And I got a scholarship to KC. And then when I went to KC, I continued to do 400 meters and long jump. But those weren’t really working out, so I started triple jumping. And it really took off from there,” he said.

Hibbert shared that the donation was made possible through a collaborative effort with PUMA and his foundation — The Jaydon Hibbert Leaps and Bounds Foundation.

“It’s a newly established foundation. I started about a year ago. I communicated to Puma that I felt like it was imperative to give back to my community, and they said for sure. I think last year we donated to KC and Innswood High School. The year before we helped some kids with some scholarships at KC, too, who are not athletes,” he said.

The donation was welcomed by Francis, who told the Observer that track and field is a large part of the school’s programme, highlighting that the school has held the Basic School Championships title multiple times.

“Currently, we are still the defending champion. Sports day every year is not just running up and down in the school yard,” he said.

He added that the donation will be used for the school’s sports department, highlighting its anticipated participation in this year’s Miami Classic in June.

…[Jaydon] mentioned specifically that he wants the donation to go to the sports department. So I told him we will try our best to make sure we equip our school as needed,” Francis said.

Citizens Advice Bureau Basic School principal Nigel Francis (right) welcomed the $390,000 donation to the school by world-record holding triple jumper, Jaydon Hibbert Thursday.