JBL Jump Fest is taking its eleventh edition to another level. On Wednesday, May 27 at 20:00, the heart of Košice will host one of the strongest men’s triple jump fields in the history of the event. World Championship medalists, a World Indoor Champion and a junior world record holder will all compete in the streets of the city.
This year’s meeting will also feature the premiere of a brand-new runway for horizontal jumps. The new sector will be covered with the purple Mondo surface used during the Olympic Games in Paris.
Returning to Košice is the 2024 JBL Jump Fest champion, World Indoor Champion and two-time World silver medalist Lázaro Martínez. Another major attraction will be Jaydon Hibbert, the Jamaican-born triple jumper currently competing under a neutral flag. The 22-year-old athlete holds the junior world record with 17.75 m and owns a personal best of 17.87 m.
The elite field will also include recent World Indoor Championships silver medalist Jordan Scott and 2023 World Championships bronze medalist Cristian Nápoles.
“The triple jump field we managed to put together has all the potential to seriously challenge the meeting record of 17.20 m. The new runway could especially suit athletes training in North America, where similar facilities are commonly used. At the same time, it will be a unique experience for children and young athletes, who will have world stars literally within arm’s reach,” says meeting manager Peter Samuelis.
This year’s men’s triple jump competition will take place without Slovak representation. Tomáš Veszelka is currently catching up on missed training and will start his outdoor season later.
The new horizontal jumps facility was built thanks to the support of the Slovak Sports Support Fund and will be fully used already from Tuesday morning, when the youth programme of JBL Jump Fest begins. After the young athletes, participants of the popular Open category will also get the chance to test the new surface in a format that remains unique within track and field athletics.
“What we know from mass running events is still very rare in track and field. There are only a few meetings where athletes travel from all over the world at their own expense. We are fortunate to be able to build this mini athletics stadium right in the city centre, and athletes keep coming back to us. This year’s start list already includes competitors from 11 countries,” adds event founder Stanislav Návesňák.
Registration for the youth programme closes on May 19, while Open category registration ends on May 15.
The eleventh edition of JBL Jump Fest remains completely free for spectators. This year, visitors can also look forward to several new features in the fan zone.
“We are moving away from traditional seated grandstands and returning to nivtec tribunes, which will bring back the authentic street atmosphere of the event. It will mean fewer seats, but we want to open the stadium more and bring spectators even closer to the athletes. Evening competitions under artificial lights will make the experience even more attractive,” concludes Návesňák.