SA long jump champion Cheswill Johnson eyes World Champs qualification in Botswana

The 25-year-old will compete in the much-anticipated event in Botswana Golden Grand Prix / World Continental Tour / Gold Label meeting on Saturday, 29 April.

The qualifying distance for the World Championships is 8.25m. 

All eyes will be on Gaborone, with big stars from the USA and Jamaica confirming their availability to compete at the meeting on the continent.

Johnson told SABC Sport he cannot wait to get into the sandpit against world champion Jianan Wang of China (8.36m), world silver medalist Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece (8.32m), and world bronze medalist Simon Ehammer of Switzerland (8.16m) in Botswana.

“I haven’t opened my season and only jumped at the Nationals in Potchefstroom. I will try and qualify in Botswana next week. The competition in Gaborone is of the highest level. The best jumpers in the world are coming to Africa, and what better way to test myself against them than in the meeting on African soil,” said Johnson.

Johnson leaped 7.95m to clinch the SA title in Potchefstroom ahead of seasoned jumpers Ruswahl Samaai (7.80m) and Zarck Visser (7.73m).

“I believe that I am the best long jumper in the country. I have nothing to lose against the big names in the world and have no pressure to produce the big jumps. I am getting closer to the qualification mark, and it is a matter of getting my run-up right, and I can get it,” said Johnson.

The University of Johannesburg athlete will travel to the Netherlands for a training camp in June.

“If I do not get the qualification in Botswana, it would be a train smash. I will compete in a few meetings in Europe. I am confident that I will eventually clinch the qualification mark,” he said.

Luvo Manyonga won the gold, while Samaai bagged bronze in the 2017 World Championships in London when SA won six medals.

But Manyonga is serving a four-year ban for a drug violation, while Samaai is a shadow of his former best.

“Everyone is looking at me to restore the image of the SA long jump, and I will do my best to fly the flag,” added Johnson.