Luvo Manyonga delivered yet another South Africa tale of inspiration as he soared to Olympic silver in the long jump at the Rio Games on Saturday night.
Cancer-survivor Lawrence Brittain claimed a rowing silver last week, now Manyonga has shown there can be glory after drug addiction.
Manyonga had seemed destined for greatness after winning the U20 world title in 2010 and finishing fifth at the 2011 senior world championships, a better result than even Khotso Mokoena, SA’s 2008 long-jump Olympic silver medallist.
But the kid from Mbekweni township outside Paarl had a taste for parties.
Former teammates remember how the talented Manyonga would go AWOL the night before competition and then return just in time the next morning and still win.
He developed a taste for tik along way and his life spiralled into a vicious cycle of drug abuse, losing four years of competition along the way.
The father-of-one tested positive for crystal meth in early 2012 and was banned for 18 months.
That’s when the nightmare really started, eventually running the streets between drug dens, not knowing if he’d survive to see another sunrise.
When Ryk Neethling, the former swimming star turned businessman, saw him some two years ago, he thought Manyonga looked on the brink of death. He tried to help.
So too did SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam, who has had a soft spot for Manyonga for years. He extracted Manyonga from his surroundings and relocated him to Pretoria.
The jumper’s comeback was crafted under the guidance of the Tuks High Performance Centre, and working with young coach Neil Cornelius, Manyonga returned to competition in early March for the first time in four years.
“I’ve risen from my demons,” said a beaming Manyonga, 25, who has spent even the early parts of this year in a halfway house as part of the rehabilitative process.
“They’ve been trying for years to pull me down, but now I made it, hey.”
Silver was a fantastic result – it was Team SA’s sixth medal of the Rio showpiece and their fifth silver, along with a lone bronze – but it was almost gold.
Manyonga’s 8.37m personal best on his fifth attempt seemed good enough to take first place. American Jeff Henderson, however, downgraded that as he sailed one centimetre further to steal the victory on his final jump.
Britain’s Greg Rutherford, who has dominated the event since the London Olympics, had to settle for bronze on 8.29m.
Manyonga admitted he was a little disappointed by not getting the gold.
“It was here, bra,” a beaming Manyonga said. “It was in my hand and then like that guy – vwoop – took it.”
Luvo clinches silver medal
Cancer-survivor Lawrence Brittain claimed a rowing silver last week, now Manyonga has shown there can be glory after drug addiction.
Manyonga had seemed destined for greatness after winning the U20 world title in 2010 and finishing fifth at the 2011 senior world championships, a better result than even Khotso Mokoena, SA’s 2008 long-jump Olympic silver medallist.
But the kid from Mbekweni township outside Paarl had a taste for parties.
Former teammates remember how the talented Manyonga would go AWOL the night before competition and then return just in time the next morning and still win.
He developed a taste for tik along way and his life spiralled into a vicious cycle of drug abuse, losing four years of competition along the way.
The father-of-one tested positive for crystal meth in early 2012 and was banned for 18 months.
That’s when the nightmare really started, eventually running the streets between drug dens, not knowing if he’d survive to see another sunrise.
When Ryk Neethling, the former swimming star turned businessman, saw him some two years ago, he thought Manyonga looked on the brink of death. He tried to help.
So too did SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam, who has had a soft spot for Manyonga for years. He extracted Manyonga from his surroundings and relocated him to Pretoria.
The jumper’s comeback was crafted under the guidance of the Tuks High Performance Centre, and working with young coach Neil Cornelius, Manyonga returned to competition in early March for the first time in four years.
“I’ve risen from my demons,” said a beaming Manyonga, 25, who has spent even the early parts of this year in a halfway house as part of the rehabilitative process.
“They’ve been trying for years to pull me down, but now I made it, hey.”
Silver was a fantastic result – it was Team SA’s sixth medal of the Rio showpiece and their fifth silver, along with a lone bronze – but it was almost gold.
Manyonga’s 8.37m personal best on his fifth attempt seemed good enough to take first place. American Jeff Henderson, however, downgraded that as he sailed one centimetre further to steal the victory on his final jump.
Britain’s Greg Rutherford, who has dominated the event since the London Olympics, had to settle for bronze on 8.29m.
Manyonga admitted he was a little disappointed by not getting the gold.
“It was here, bra,” a beaming Manyonga said. “It was in my hand and then like that guy – vwoop – took it.”
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