Athletics
Luvo grabs gold in Canada
2010-07-22 07:15
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Canada - Caster Semenya, this medal is for you.
Boland long jump sensation Luvo Manyonga, had a smile as wide as the Rainbow Nation after sensationally winning the long jump gold medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada on Wednesday.
Manyonga produced a final leap of 7.99 metres to take the honours in a pressure situation after Spaniard Eusebio Caceres had put in a final jump of 7.90, to force the South African into a make or break situation.
"I dedicate this gold medal to Caster Semenya's return to international athletics," said a beaming Manyonga afterwards.
"It's great that she is back in competition and I look forward to seeing her clock some great times in the months ahead."
Referring to his winning performance, the jumper from Mbekweni near Paarl in the Western Cape said he put everything into his final jump.
"I wasn't going to settle for the silver medal," he remarked.
"I have been battling a bit with my left knee but I put it right out of my mind to get through to the win."
Manyonga's win was Team SA's second medal within 45 minutes, after North West University javelin star Tazmin Brits collected a bronze with an evening best of 54.55m on her fourth throw.
"I had been nursing my arm throughout the week but after three throws, I realised I had to look for the big one," said Brits.
Gauteng-based Waide Jooste produced a quality third-place finish in his 100 metres semi-final, and was unlucky to be eliminated with a time of 10.72, while Free State speedster Gideon Trotter's time of 10.76 saw him finish sixth in the first semi-final.
There was no luck either for Stellenbosch-based Shaun de Jager (47.47) and Afrikaans Seuns Hoerskool pupil Jacques de Swardt (47.98), both eliminated in the semi-finals of the 400 metres.
In the morning session, Le Roux Hamman (52.66) and Free State's Pieter Marx (52.89) were eliminated from the competition in the 400 metres heats.
The national team campaign is made possible through the support of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.