Experienced long jumper Luvo Manyonga will represent South Africa for the first time in seven years when he competes at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland between 20-22 March.
Manyonga was included in the eight-member national team announced on Sunday for the indoor showpiece.
The 35-year-old SA record holder – a former world outdoor champion, Olympic silver medallist and World Indoor Championships silver medallist – has not competed in SA colours since he finished fourth at the World Athletics Championships in Doha in 2019.
Having improved his form since returning to action last year, after serving a four-year ban for a recreational doping offence, Manyonga set a season’s best of 8.11m in Arkansas last month.
He will be joined in the long jump competition in Poland by 19-year-old Temoso Masikane, who also holds a season’s best of 8.11m.
Shot put athletes
The SA team at the World Indoor Championships also includes two shot put specialists.
World University Games champion Aiden Smith will compete in the men’s event, as he looks to build on his form after throwing beyond 20.30m three times this year.
The only woman in the South African squad, national record holder and African Championships silver medallist Miné de Klerk, will also turn out in the shot put discipline.
De Klerk has been superb this season, setting a new SA mark of 18.48m at a US collegiate meeting in Indiana last month.
Track athletes
On the track, the SA team features 19-year-old US-based sprinter Karabo Letebele who lines up in the men’s 60m sprint.
Letebele set an indoor personal best of 6.53 seconds in Texas last month, equalling the second quickest short track time by a South African, with only national record holder Morne Nagel (6.48 in 2002) having gone quicker.
In-form middle-distance runner Luan Munnik goes in the men’s 3 000m event after he too set a personal best of 7:38.35 in Lievin last month, finishing less than two seconds behind Tshepo Tshite who completed the race just ahead of him in 7:36.90 to break the South African short track record over 15 laps.
Hurdlers Franco le Roux, who set an impressive career best of 7.60 in France in February, and World University Games bronze medallist Mondray Barnard (who has run 7.66 this season) will turn out in the men’s 60m race over the barriers.
South African team
Karabo Letebele (60m, men)
Luan Munnik (3 000m, men)
Franco le Roux (60m hurdles, men)
Mondray Barnard (60m hurdles, men)
Luvo Manyonga (long jump, men)
Temoso Masikane (long jump, men)
Aiden Smith (shot put, men)
Mine de Klerk (shot put, women)
* Featured image of Luvo Manyonga by Cecilia van Bers
