Bennett jumps into heated triple jump contest

St Elizabeth Technical High School’s triple jumper Jhavor Bennett has been trying to hit 15 metres and beyond for the past two years, and he believes the current atmosphere in event locally could enable him to achieve it this season.

The 17-year-old produced 14.74 metres to win the silver medal at Western Championships this year. He finished behind Manning’s School Malik Isaacs, who registered 14.93m. But it’s the outstanding performances of Jamaica College’s Apalos Edwards with 15.99 and Calabar High School’s Luke Brown’s 16.04 that get Bennett excited about the season.

Motivating me

“I think these guys are outstanding, and seeing what they have done already this season is motivating me to work harder,” Bennett said. “I have been trying to go over 15 metres for about two years now, and think I can do it this year because I have been putting in the training.”

Bennett made the final of the event last year as a first-year Class One athlete, but could only produce 13.92 for 11th place. “There is no doubt about jumping 16 metres this year and even though Edwards and brown are out there I am not counting out myself,” Bennett said.

The Class One triple jump records stands at 16.39, a mark O’Brien Wasome leapt to in 2016.