Athlete Carried Off on a Stretcher as Complaints Over Botched Track and Field Rise

The JAAA/Puma Series—Meet #3 just wrapped up at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. However, a concerning moment unfolded when an athlete, reportedly competing in the high jump, was carried off on a stretcher.

Jamaican athlete Jaydon Hibbert later took to X to share the concerning moment. He posted a photo captured from his television broadcast, showing an athlete being carried away on a stretcher, while also voicing his frustration over what he described as an ongoing issue with the sandpit.

“I have three junior jumpers complaining about that sandpit rn,” Hibbert wrote. “But when we speak out, we are bombarded.”

He later shared a screenshot of the messages he had been receiving from the athletes. 

“Them n—as ain’t fixing the pit cause [they’re] the reason mi knee f—k up rn,” one text read. 

“I’m just thankful that I can sprint atp but rn I ain’t jumping [back] til they fix that f—king pit fam,” a subsequent message read. 

Hibbert further expressed complaints over the sandpits at the event, suggesting that jumpers are always the ones to suffer.

“I’m telling you, man, jumpers continuously go through it, but when we speak out. We are the problem,” he wrote. “I have at least 4 injured athletes texting rn about the same issue because of that same pit! Good God man!”

Currently, it’s unclear who the athlete was. The JAAA hasn’t issued a statement on the matter or the complaints from Hibbert. 

The competition is organized by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) in partnership with PUMA. It’s part of a multi-meet series used by elite and developing athletes to prepare for major international competitions.  

The competition featured the 100m, 400m, 800m, 100m/110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, and discus events, with both youth and senior divisions for men and women. In any case, Jaydon Hibbert’s complaints about the sandpit at JAAA-Puma Series #3 come ahead of his own return to action.

Jaydon Hibbert is set to compete in Slovakia

Jamaican triple jump star Jaydon Hibbert is set to make his long-awaited return to competition on Wednesday at the JBL Jump Fest in Košice, Slovakia. The World Under-20 record holder will compete in the men’s triple jump event alongside fellow Jamaican Jordan Scott, who currently leads the world rankings this season.

Hibbert has not competed since finishing fourth at the Paris Olympic Games, making his return one of the biggest talking points ahead of the Continental Tour Silver meeting. The talented jumper was also recently in the headlines after being among four Jamaican athletes whose applications to transfer allegiance to Türkiye were rejected by World Athletics.

The street-style event in Slovakia is expected to feature several top jumpers from around the world. Also representing Jamaica at the meet will be World Athletics Indoor finalist Nia Robinson and Ackelia Smith, both of whom are scheduled to compete in the women’s long jump competition.

Further updates regarding the injured athlete from JAAA/Puma Series—Meet #3 are expected soon. 

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