Luvo targeting Powell’s record
MANYONGA: I MUST JUST HAVE FUN, THEN IT WILL COME
SA pair hoping to make next year even better.
After wrapping up a superb season, South Africa’s world-beating long jumpers insist there is plenty more to come as they target bigger leaps next year.
Having established their dominance in South Africa’s strongest track and field discipline, Luvo Manyonga and Ruswahl Samaai returned home from their European campaigns at the weekend.
Manyonga produced the four best jumps in the world this year, including a national record of 8.65m, won the world title in London earlier this month and lifted the Diamond League crown in Zurich last week.
Though he admitted he was disappointed not to give American Mike Powell’s 26-year-old world record of 8.95m a shake, he remained confident of his ability to break the long-standing mark.
“I was chasing 8.70m. I also wanted the world record but I’ve had to admit that when I’m forcing it, it won’t come,” Manyonga said.
“I must just go out there and have fun, and it’s going to come.
“I’m still jumping, and I’m still healthy, so the goals I didn’t make this year, there’s another year coming.”
Though Samaai was forced to play second fiddle to his compatriot, he earned bronze at the global championships, took the runner-up spot in the Diamond League final and ended the season ranked second in the world with a personal best of 8.49m.
He too had been chasing 8.70m this year, and while he was well short of that goal, Samaai was pleased to have overcome various injury struggles which had previously hampered his progress.
With four South Africans having jumped 8.19m or further this year, including Zarck Visser and Khotso Mokoena, Samaai felt they could take the event to new heights in the 2018 campaign.
“I think this is only the beginning for Luvo, as well as myself,” Samaai said.
“The competition in South Africa is very good and I’m just happy we have that here.”