PRETORIA. — Launching an African record, Olympic long jump silver medallist Luvo Manyonga climbed the world all-time list with a best leap of 8,62m on the first day of the Athletics Gauteng North Championships in Pretoria on Friday. Manyonga improved Khotso Mokoena’s national and continental record he set in Madrid in July 2009 by 12 centimetres. The leap — which is the longest in the world since 2009 — catapulted the 26-year-old to joint 12th place on the world all-time list, tied with Jamaica’s James Beckford.

Bettering his career best he set in Brussels in September last year by 14 centimetres, Manyonga has taken aim at Mike Powell’s world record of 895m from 1991. — IAAF.

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