The fifteenth edition of the Bowerman Awards took place on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention in Denver, Colorado. The Bowerman Award is the highest and most prestigious US Collegiate track and field award. History was created when there was a Caribbean sweep (men and women) for the very first time. The Jamaican Jaydon Hibbert emerged the winner in the men’s category, while the St. Lucian Julien Alfred won in the women’s. Both Hibbert and Alfred were the two most dominant and impressive US Collegiate athletes for the 2023 track and field season.
Hibbert impressive season
Jaydon Hibbert, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, hails from the community of Arnett Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. The phenom is also a graduate of the Vaz Preparatory School and Kingston College, where he excelled in the triple jump, setting a Champs Record of 16.66m in 2022, before moving on to the “razorbacks”. Hibbert also holds the NCAA Indoor Record of 17.54m and the Outdoor Record of 17.87m, which incidentally is the Under 20 World Record. To put this record into perspective, Hibbert’s Under 20 World Record of 17.87m is second only to his countryman’s James Beckford’s National Record 17.92m, and it shattered the previous collegiate Record that stood for an unbelievable thirty-five years. This feat was achieved at the SEC Championship on May 13, 2023.
At the Budapest World Championship, Hibbert leapt to 17.70m, the longest of all jumps throughout the competition. Unfortunately, he got injured and was ruled-out of the remainder of the competition. Hibbert has nine seventeen-metre jumps that include 17.10m, 17.17m, 17.27m, 17.54m, 17.56m, 17.66m, 17.68m, 17.70m and 17.87m, all achieved between August 5, 2022 and August 19, 2023. Hibbert tenth best Jump of 16.81m was done on May 26, 2023.
Alfred dominance
The St. Lucien Julien Alfred is now a professional athlete, having recently graduated from the University of Texas A&M. On May 14, 2023, Alfred ran 10.84 in the 100m to set a then season’s best. This was followed by a new season’s best 10.83 on May 27, 2023; which was a mere 0.02 outside her personal best 10.81 that was done the previous year. Alfred’s ten best times in the 100m are 10.81, 10.83, 10.84, 10.89, 10.90, 10.92, 10.93, 10.95, 10.96 and 10.99.
On April 14, 2023, Alfred set a new personal best time of 21.91, to record her first and only sub 22 seconds in the 200m. To-date, Alfred’s ten best 200m times are 21.91, 22.05, 22.08, 22.09, 22.17, 22.28 and 22.31, 22.33, 22.43, and 22.45.
At the 2023 Budapest World Championship, Alfred finished fifth in the 100m final, where she posted an impressive time of 10.93. In the women’s 200m final, Alfred finished fourth in a time of 22.05, her second fastest ever in the event. These performances would place Julien Alfred among the elite sprinters of the world.
The Bowerman Award to Jaydon Hibbert and Julien Alfred is a fitting and deserving honour to two exemplary and outstanding collegiate athletes. Congratulations, lady and gentleman!
Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah)
Freelance Sports Writer
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