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Manyonga in shock split with coach

Cape Town - Rio Olympic Games silver medalist Luvo Manyonga has parted ways with his coach Neil Cornelius, his agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Neil Cornelius, my coach for the past 3 years, has guided and mentored me to become world champion, Olympic silver medalist and Diamond League champion. I want to thank him for everything he has done for me," Manyonga was quoted by Newton Agency.

"I could not have achieved what I have without his encouragement. However, after such great success, I have had to take stock of where I am and look to find new ways to push the boundaries of performance and continued improvement," he continued.

"With this in mind, I decided to move to Port Elizabeth last year to further my athletics career closer to my home. Considering the change in location and my practical, every-day requirements, I have made a decision to change my performance team and explore other coaching opportunities," concluded Manyonga.

Manyonga, 27, soared to the long jump silver medal in Rio in 2016 and went on to win the gold medal in last year's IAAF World Athletics Championships in London.

He also picked up the silver medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham earlier this month.

Manyonga will be a firm favourite for a medal at next month's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia.

Manyonga has not named a new coach and is believed to be taking his time to consider all options and opportunities before deciding on his team to take him to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

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