Jaydon Hibbert hints at signing professional contract with Puma
KINGSTON, Jamaica— While saying he would wait until Monday for the official announcement by his shoe company sponsor, triple jump star Jaydon Hibbert hinted that he has signed a professional contract with German shoe giants Puma.
“Well it’s kinda obvious,” Hibbert responded with a laugh when he was asked the question by Observer Online during a virtual press conference on Sunday.
Hibbert, who turned 19 years old earlier this month, will forgo the next three seasons of NCAA competition after he signed a professional contract last week. He had signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contract with Puma late in his freshman season.
His decision to become a professional was not a complete surprise to many after his domination of the event in his first season, going unbeaten over seven events, including winning the NCAA indoor/outdoor double, the SEC double with a total of 13 jumps, setting an outdoor World Under- 20 record 17.87m, which was the best in the world in 2023, breaking the Jamaican indoor record -17.54m and also breaking the long-established NCAA and University of Arkansas records.
-Paul A Reid