ATHLETICS NEWS - South Africa celebrated with Long Jump star Luvo Manyonga on Saturday, after the world champion touched down on home soil following a hectic, but tremendously successful international season.
Manyonga had a spectacular campaign and he was one of three SA athletes who went unbeaten in their specialist events, along with Wayde van Niekerk in the 400m Men and Caster Semenya in the 800m Women.
Richard Stander, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Athletics South Africa was full of praise for Manyonga's achievements as well as the support of his management team, including coach Neil Cornelius and agent Lee-Roy Newton.
"All of them are working as a group behind Luvo to support him, so he can focus on what he has to do and that is to bring honour to South Africa," Stander said. “As s a country, we are very proud of him."
Manyonga leaped beyond 8.60m on four occasions this year and produced a massive national record of 8.65m at the SA Senior Championships in Potchefstroom in April.
He also became the first South African long jumper to win the outdoor world title when he clinched the global crown in London earlier this month. He closed his season this week by taking the IAAF Diamond League trophy in his discipline.
While Van Niekerk returned home early from his European campaign due to a back injury, and
Semenya is set to end her season at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Berlin on Sunday (tomorrow), Manyonga returned home to a rapturous welcoming ceremony at OR Tambo International in Johannesburg.
"This was an epic year and not just for myself, but for the team which has been working with me," Manyonga said.
