Luvo Manyonga: South African Athlete Opens Up on Drug Addiction Battle Ahead of Remarkable Comeback

Luvo Manyonga, who famously captured world long jump gold at the World Athletics Championships London 2017, is preparing to feature at this week’s World Athletics Indoor Championships Torun 2026 in Torun, signalling a remarkable return to top-level athletics.

Now 35, his journey back has been shaped by years of struggle with crystal meth addiction, a battle that ultimately stripped away everything he had built.

In 2012, Manyonga received an 18-month ban after testing positive for tik, a street form of methamphetamine prevalent in South African communities.

He was later handed a further four-year suspension in late 2020 after repeatedly failing to submit his whereabouts to anti-doping authorities, during a period when his life was spiralling out of control. That ban ended in December 2024, paving the way for his long-awaited comeback.

Throughout his time away from the sport, his addiction took full control, pushing him into crime — including muggings and break-ins — to sustain his habit.

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Reflecting on that period, he admitted he was driven solely by the need for his next fix, reaching a point he describes as rock bottom.

The passing of his mother dealt a severe emotional blow, as he regarded her as the foundation of his life.

In 2023, after stealing a mobile phone from the daughter of a community patrol member near Paarl, he was violently assaulted with a baseball bat, leaving him unable to walk for days. He recalled the attack as a moment where he believed his life was about to end, seeing it as the inevitable consequence of his addiction.

Following the incident, Manyonga moved to the Eastern Cape, deliberately distancing himself from the environment that had fuelled his drug use.

Since that turning point in 2023, he has remained sober, insisting that any relapse would effectively be a death sentence.

Once his suspension expired, he resumed training in Johannesburg under coach Herman Venske, adhering to a strict schedule of morning gym sessions and afternoon track work.

His competitive return came at a low-key event in Stellenbosch, where he recorded 7.31m — well below his 8.65m career-best set in 2017.

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However, his form has steadily improved, surpassing eight metres in October and jumping 8.11m last month to qualify for Poland.

Manyonga admits that success came too quickly during his early years, particularly for someone from a township background without a support system. He did not complete school, and his family lacked the experience to help him navigate sudden fame and financial success.

Looking back, he acknowledges that arrogance and unresolved issues contributed to his downfall, with his substance abuse only a matter of time before escalating.

Despite his turbulent past, the Olympic silver medallist remains confident heading into the championships, where he will be the oldest athlete in the long jump field.

He believes he still has the ability to produce major performances and compete for top honours, comparing himself to a powerful engine that has been idle for years but is now ready to roar back to life.

Source: Briefly News