Luvo Manyonga official comeback from drug ban postponed

The 34-year-old Olympic silver medallist made his season comeback at an invitational Hoërskool Stellenbosch meeting last week, leaping 7.31m to finish third, but sustaining an injury in the process. 

Manyonga, who is making a comeback after serving a four-year drug ban, was set to headline the Athletics South Africa Grand Prix Continental Tour Challenger 1 at Pilditch Stadium tomorrow, but has been withdrawn as a precaution.

"it didn't make me feel anyhow, it's just a matter of what happened in that competition in Stellenbosch, I just picked up a little bit of a niggle," said Manyonga.

"It's something that I'm working on now and the next Grand Prix at UJ, everything will be fine."

Manyonga, the 2017 Diamond League champion, told SABC Sport that returning to jumping in Stellenbosch after such a long time out was an indescribable feeling.

"The goal was just to let the body feel jumping again, it was not a plan of distance, and I was also jumping from a shortened approach, not the full run-up," he added.

"It felt exciting, it was amazing being in the [sand] pit, it's the greatest feeling ever."

The qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, later this year is set at 8.27m, with Manyonga insisting his focus is on his progress rather than concerning himself with qualification at this stage.

"The distance, for me, is not a priority now, the priority is to stay healthy and jump-fit, and the distance will come automatically because I know how my body works, I just have to stay consistent, training and focus on being able to do more jumps this year," he concluded.

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