Luvo Manyonga is an athlete. Luvo Manyonga is currently one of the top long jumpers in the world, having demonstrated his ability on numerous occasions. Luvo sought peace in track and field after growing up in a troubled and impoverished environment.
Luvo’s innate abilities and excellent talents are praised by everyone who knows him.
However, his way of life and substance addiction have done him more harm than good, resulting in several bans.
Table of Contents
Childhood and Family
Luvo Manyonga was born to John and Joyce Manyonga on January 8, 1991.
His father worked as a forklift driver and was rarely around during his youth.
John, on the other hand, had some athletic ability, having played rugby for the Impala Platinum rugby teams as a left-winger.
Joyce, on the other hand, worked as a domestic cleaner and raised her family by herself.
Luvo grew up in the Mbekweni community in Paarl, in South Africa’s southwest.
The neighborhood where he grew up is notorious for drug and gang-related violence.
Joyce had a terrible time raising her three children because the family was poor.
Since he was a child, he has been tall and thin, and he began running sprints in school.
Then, Monelisi Adonis, one of the teachers, urged him to attempt jumping, where he showed innate skill.
Until the middle of 2009, he primarily competed in the triple jump and long jump.
He had to give up the triple jump, though, because he was still suffering from hip ailments.
He also competed in local track and field events on a regular basis.
Mario Smith, a local coach, soon spotted his potential and took him under his care. Mario aided him much in his pursuit of a professional career.
Net Worth
Luvo Manyonga’s net worth is estimated to be $1 million.
He hasn’t had a lot of endorsement deals because of his uneven career.
Nike had previously supported him, but it is unclear what will happen to the relationship now that he has been banned.
Luvo grew up in a family where money was always an issue. Luvo did well in sports and got some money, but he spent the majority of it on drugs.
He was paid 80,000 Rand for his performances in 2011. However, his family began to rely on him financially after that, and Luvo swiftly lost all of his savings, incurring debt in the process.
Because the athlete’s condition was so bad, coach Mario Smith had to sustain his family on his own dime so that he could concentrate exclusively on training.
Facts of Luvo Manyonga
Full Name | Luvuyo Manyonga |
Common Name | Luvo Manyonga |
Nick Name | Luvo |
Birthdate | 08 January 1991 |
Age | 31 years old |
Zodiac Sign | Capricon |
Mother’s Name | Joyce Manyonga |
Father’s Name | John Manyonga |
Siblings | Two younger siblings |
Birthplace | Mbekweni, Paarl, South Africa |
Home Town | Mbekweni, Paarl, South Africa |
Citizenship | South Africa |
Residence | Bluewater Bay, Port Elizabeth |
School | Ihlumelo Secondary, Desmond Tutu |
College | N/A |
Education | N/A |
Height | 1.89 m/6’2″ |
Weight | 82 kg/181 lb |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Shoe Size | N/A |
Martial Status | N/A |
Partner | N/A |
Married | No |
Children | One son |
Sport | Track and Field |
Event | Long Jump |
Olympics Wins | One silver (2016 Rio Olympics) |
World Championship | Gold, 2017 |
Achievements | Sportsman of the year South Africa |
Highest rank | World no. 1 |
Personal Best | 8.65 (also south African record) |
Coach | Mario Smith(former), John McGrath |
Team | Team Nike, Team South Africa |
Status | Suspended |
Hobbies | Card games, Music |
Net Worth | $1 million |
Affiliated Brands | Nike |
Social Media | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram |
Website | N/A |
Merch | Nike Track and Field |
Last-Update | June 2022 |
Career
Manyonga’s first international triumph came in 2009 when he won bronze at the African junior athletics championships.
At the 2010 World Junior Championships, he won gold by leaping an incredible 8.19 meters.
It is still in the top 10 all-time performances by an athlete under the age of 20.
The First Ban
Luvo tried tik, a local version of crystal meth, in 2011 and became addicted to it rapidly.
After that, he tested positive for doping in the 2012 national series meet, despite only using tik for non-performance reasons.
He was admitted for drug rehabilitation in the months that followed. Despite Coach Smith’s efforts, he was sentenced to an 18-month suspension.
After that, the budding star was denied the opportunity to represent his country at the 2012 London Olympics.
He got back on track and planned to attend the 2014 Commonwealth Games. As a result, he began exercising with John McGrath, an Irish strength and conditioning coach.
However, due to the mishandling of papers, he was once again unable to participate in the Commonwealth Games.
Many believed that the national athletics authority did this on purpose since Luvo was considered a public relations liability.
Coach Smith perished in a car accident on his way to see Luvo, continuing a string of tragic incidents. Luvo came across several pals taking tik on his way to the memorial and missed the event.
Gideon Sam, the head of the national Olympic committee at the time, paid him a visit and saw how bad his living conditions were.
He then arranged for Luvo to train and stay at the high-performance facility at the University of Pretoria.
Luvo returned to full-time training in 2015 as a result.
Rio 2016 and beyond
In the Rio long jump finals, Manyonga set a personal best of 8.37m. Jeff Henderson, on the other hand, beat it by one centimeter, bringing gold home to the United States.
Still, considering how far Luvo has come from his terrible past, an Olympic silver medal was a huge accomplishment for him.
In the following year, he maintained the momentum, earning gold at the 2017 World Championships in London with a personal best of 8.48 meters.
He also won a gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, jumping 8.41 meters in the final.
The second prohibition is in effect
Aftermath
Luvo quickly apologized to all of his fans on Twitter and stated that he was still a work in progress.
He also stated that it was a difficult moment in his life and that he was attempting to remain positive.
Luvo later discussed the ban and how his mother’s death last year contributed to his demise.
No one can say for sure what Luvo’s next step will be. We can only hope that he changes his ways and returns stronger than before.
He has expressed his desire to one day operate a children’s sports center.
It will be a concerted effort to assist young people in his area in combating the negative effects of drugs and violence.
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Relationships
Luvo Manyonga had a relationship with Khomotso Mamburu, a netball player and LLB student.
The couple routinely expressed their love for one another on social media.
Their relationship’s current status, however, remains unknown.
Luvo is also the father of Lindokhule Manyonga, who is nine years old.
He dedicates each of his leaps to his son, hoping to save him from falling into the same pitfalls he did.
Social Media Status
Luvo Manyonga is active on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
He has 9.4k likes on Facebook, his Twitter has 7,500 users and 24.2k Instagram followers.