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TS Galaxy player Bernard Parker, Banyana Banyana legend Portia Modise and long jump Olympic silver medallist Luvo Manyonga at the Clinix partner with SA stars to raise awareness on substance use disorders and addiction at Solomon Stix Morewa Memorial Hospital Wellness Centre, Johannesburg. Picture: VELI NHLAPO
SA long jumper Luvo Manyonga feels he is on the right track to recovery as he looks to revive his career and rebuild his life.
The 2016 Olympic silver medallist’s life descended into the worst-case scenario for an elite athlete in subsequent years, with drugs and a party lifestyle leading to him losing everything he had.
That included an international jumping career after his second doping-related ban by World Athletics in June 2021. The current ban will expire on midnight December 22 2024. He was banned for refusing to avail himself for a doping test.
The 33-year-old athlete from Mbekweni township in Western Cape has vowed to return to competitive athletics and win a major event gold medal.
Speaking to the media after the announcement of his partnership with Clinix Health Group to raise awareness on substance use disorders and addiction, Manyonga said he is in a better place in his life.
“I feel great about what is going on in my life at the moment and also getting new opportunities while I am down and out,” Manyonga said.
“I’m at the right place with the right people and my life has changed. When I was active, my life was not as clean as today. You can see with my face, my body, my health is different compared to when I was using [drugs]. I’m like a normal person and people can recognise me.”
With his ban set to end in six months, Manyonga said he still has unfinished business in athletics and has targeted the world championships in Japan in 2025 to make his comeback.
“I think I still owe the world a last bar there because my career didn’t end, it was just a hiccup that I was not disciplined,” he said.
“Next year, it is the world championships and I want to go and take my gold medal back and I believe that I can achieve that. After that, I will try to start coaching because I don’t want to end my career in a bad moment.”
The Clinix Group also collaborated with two former and current sports stars, TS Galaxy striker Bernard Parker and Banyana Banyana legend Portia Modise.
The three were unveiled as the campaign ambassadors for the Clinix Health Group.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Manyonga vows to bounce back after ban
‘I want a world championships gold medal’
SA long jumper Luvo Manyonga feels he is on the right track to recovery as he looks to revive his career and rebuild his life.
The 2016 Olympic silver medallist’s life descended into the worst-case scenario for an elite athlete in subsequent years, with drugs and a party lifestyle leading to him losing everything he had.
That included an international jumping career after his second doping-related ban by World Athletics in June 2021. The current ban will expire on midnight December 22 2024. He was banned for refusing to avail himself for a doping test.
The 33-year-old athlete from Mbekweni township in Western Cape has vowed to return to competitive athletics and win a major event gold medal.
Speaking to the media after the announcement of his partnership with Clinix Health Group to raise awareness on substance use disorders and addiction, Manyonga said he is in a better place in his life.
“I feel great about what is going on in my life at the moment and also getting new opportunities while I am down and out,” Manyonga said.
“I’m at the right place with the right people and my life has changed. When I was active, my life was not as clean as today. You can see with my face, my body, my health is different compared to when I was using [drugs]. I’m like a normal person and people can recognise me.”
With his ban set to end in six months, Manyonga said he still has unfinished business in athletics and has targeted the world championships in Japan in 2025 to make his comeback.
“I think I still owe the world a last bar there because my career didn’t end, it was just a hiccup that I was not disciplined,” he said.
“Next year, it is the world championships and I want to go and take my gold medal back and I believe that I can achieve that. After that, I will try to start coaching because I don’t want to end my career in a bad moment.”
The Clinix Group also collaborated with two former and current sports stars, TS Galaxy striker Bernard Parker and Banyana Banyana legend Portia Modise.
The three were unveiled as the campaign ambassadors for the Clinix Health Group.
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Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.