Something is in the water in Jonesboro, Arkansas this week, and as a result there have been changes in the Natural State's triple jump rankings.
It started on Tuesday when Jonesboro High School's Jaylen Heard jumped 47-10.5 to win the Sr. Patriot Relays. In doing so, Heard moved to No. 1 in the state, bumping Russellville's Samario Hibbler, who had been No. 1 since March 3rd when he jumped 47-9 at the Van Buren Field Event Festival.
2026 ARKANSAS BOYS TRIPLE JUMP LIST
Heard's time at the top of the rankings would be short lived as Nettleton's Cameron Phillips put it all together at the Blazer Nestle Invitational. Phillips won with a season best jump of 48-4-over a foot better than any of his other performances this season.
Even though it's a big improvement for Phillips, it's still not a personal record. He jumped a wind aided 49-1 at last year's 5A East Conference Championships.
Phillips also won the 100m (11.48) and the long (21-6).
For his performance is Thursday's meet, Phillips is this week's MileSplit Arkansas Athlete Of The Week.
Who are some other triple jumpers who could find their name at the top of the rankings before the 2026 season is over?
Fayetteville's sophomore Jaybren Avent jumped 46-3 at the Van Buren Pointer Relays. That's a personal record for Avent, who has also had personal records in the high jump (6-4) and long jump (22-1.5w) in April. Avent is the No. 2 sophomore in the state in both the triple jump, where he only trail Heard, and the high jump. Russellville sophomore Talen Hindsman leads the Class of 2028 in the high jump with a season best of 6-6.
Warren's Bleyze Fellows and Forrest City's Keelan Brister are two other triple jumpers to watch over the last month of the season.
Fellows, who finished fourth at last year's 5A State Championship Meet, has only jumped twice and his 45-11 in his season opener and followed that with a mark of 45-11.5. But hat came back on in the middle of March and fellows has not competed since.
Brister has competed in four meets this season and seems to be figuring it out. His season best of 45-10 came in his last meet--the Bearcat Sr. High Relays.
