The story of one of the world’s most renowned and “flippen amazing” long-jump sensations, who turned out to be a prodigal son of South African athletics, is slowly but surely being rewritten, as Luvo Manyonga is once again orchestrating a strong comeback on the athletics scene.
Manyonga needs no introduction in the South African athletics and sports fraternity, as he is among the best once-in-a-generation talents in the history of track and field, particularly in the long jump.
Since his battle with drug addiction, which is well-documented after crystal meth was detected in his doping sample in 2012, which ultimately led to his four-year ban, the former long jump world champion has now put everything behind him and is focusing on making a comeback stronger than a locomotive.
“I’ve been putting in so many hours of training. In a month, I put in 151 hours of training, as well as developing consistency and discipline,” Manyonga said during an exclusive interview with Sunday World recently.
“In training, I’ve mostly been jumping over eight metres. My best training jump was 8.50 metres. I am quite comfortable with my comeback, and I’m also looking forward to this season.”
“I don’t want to put pressure on myself … just taking it one competition at a time. Whatever distance comes out, it comes out. But I am quite positive that this year is going to be my year.”
His initial comeback was last year at an invitational at Hoërskool Stellenbosch, but it suffered a setback after he sustained an injury in the process.
But he is now back, looking sharper than before, following a full year of recovery and training alongside rising sprinting star Karabo Letebele, who recently signed with the University of Arkansas in the US on a four-year scholarship through the Worldwide
Scholarships.
Like any other athlete, or person for that matter, who embarks on a particular journey, Manyonga has set goals and targets for himself for which he says he’ll leave no stone unturned in achieving them.
“This year, there will be three major competitions: the World Indoor Championships, the Commonwealth Games, and the Ultimate Challenge, towards the end of the year.
“There will also be the Diamond League, but I want to focus on one competition at a time because I am 35 now and don’t know how much my body can take, but I will take it one competition at a time.
“But I still have the hunger of winning a world title, and I see myself standing on the podium raising the South African flag once again,” Manyonga added.
The 2016 Olympic silver medallist will be jetting off to the US later this month to join his training partner Letebele in Arkansas.
This is where Manyonga will set the tone for the year in the competitions that he will be competing in.
