Cape Town local Luvo Manyonga has jumped into the history books after a massive leap of 8.41 metres earned him not only a gold medal, but also a Commonwealth Games record.

His teammate Ruswahl Samaai also performed outstandingly on the sand, earning a bronze medal for his jumps.

This adds to bronze medals won by Sunette Viljoen and Reinhardt Hamman earlier today, as well as a silver in women’s lawn bowls, bringing South Africa’s total up to 26 and bumping us up to 4th position overall.

 

Luvo’s story captured the imagination of the world after he won the silver medal for long jump at the Rio Olympics in 2016. He comes from an impoverished community, and struggled with drug addiction before getting his life back on track to make international athletics history.

 

Shortly after Luvo and Ruswahl’s victories, Team SA won a silver in the lawn bowls mixed B2/B3 pairs.

 

 

Earlier in the day, Sunette Viljoen claimed a bronze medal in javelin with a throw of 62.08 metres.

 

Reinhardt Hamman also earned a bronze in the men’s F38 shot put final.

 

 

Picture: Twitter

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