Johannesburg - “Just jump, the distance will come automatically.” That’s the philosophy of South African long jumper Luvo Manyonga as he gears up for the Rio Olympics.
Speaking on Thursday at the Sascoc team announcement for next month's showpiece, the once troubled athlete was brimming with confidence over his inclusion in the team.
“It was obvious, Luvo is the best in South Africa,” said Manyonga.“I’m excited for the team going to Rio.”
With his sights set on medal success, the Capetonian is raring to go and showcase his talents in Brazil.
“The targets will always be there but I don’t worry about targets. I do my own best. I compete with myself, I don’t compete with other people. Anything is possible,” said Manyonga.
It’s been a dramatic five years for the South African since he first broke into the world of athletics back in 2010.At the time emerging as a future star, Manyonga became junior world long jump champion in Moncton, Canada, with a jump of 7.99 metres.
A year later at the Daegu World Championships, Manyonga finished fifth in his first world competition.The rising star’s career veered greatly off path in 2012 after it was announced he had tested positive for the banned substance methamphetamine.
A subsequent ban of 18 months saw the athlete miss out on the 2012 London Olympic Games, despite having already qualified for one event before his ban.Manyonga faced further adversity in 2014 when long-time coach Mario Smit passed away in a car accident in the middle of the athlete’s comeback.
Two years on, despite a haunting past and painful memories, the long jumper eyes success in Rio and beyond.“I’m not looking back on what happened, I’m focusing on the future.
My future is waiting for me. The past is the past and if I look back at it, it’s going to pull me down.“I’ve been out for a long time and now I’m back in the game so I have to produce,” said Manyonga, whose success will benefit more than just himself as he hopes making his mother and son proud.
“I tell myself every day when I wake up that I have to give that boy a better future. I don’t want him to go down the same path daddy took.”Preparation for success in Rio has gone well for the South African.
Earlier this year after qualifying for the Games, he reached a personal best 8.30m.Manyonga qualified for Rio in March with his first competitive jump in over a year.
His first jump of 8.20m at a league meeting in Pretoria was enough to earn his spot in the team.Making up for lost time having missed out in London four years ago, the 2016 showpiece serves as Manyonga’s long-awaited time to shine as he looks to make a mark on the world of athletics.
With his focus firmly on the Games, Olympic success for the comeback kid will be the ultimate jump-start to get his promising career back on track. “A medal will be awesome,” he said.
Saturday Star