Luvo Manyonga (born 8 January 1991) is a South African track and field athlete who specialises in the long jump.

Manyonga was born 8 January 1991 and raised in Mbekweni township in Paarl, a city in the far south-west of South Africa.

His father, John, a fork-lift truck driver, was largely absent, leaving Manyonga to be raised by his mother, Joyce, a domestic cleaner.

Given his surroundings, Manyonga had a poverty-stricken and dysfunctional upbringing, though his mother maintained the family home for him and his older brother and sister.

A local coach, Mario Smith, was surprised by the young man's ability and immediately set about supporting Manyonga towards a professional career.

He jumped 8.04 m (26 ft 4+1⁄2 in) to make the final while reigning world silver medallist Mokoena failed to progress.

[10] Two weeks later he appeared at the All-Africa Games and defeated former champions Ignisious Gaisah and Ndiss Kaba Badji to take the gold medal.

Around this time, Manyonga had become a regular user of tik – the local variant of crystal methamphetamine commonly used in his township.

Smith argued for a reduced period of sanction, entered as mitigating factors Manyonga's poor family situation, use of the drug for non-enhancing reasons, and lack of education on doping matters.

Shocked by his situation, Sam arranged for the Committee to pay for training and accommodation at University of Pretoria's High Performance Centre.

Manyonga reacted positively, saying "I decided I can't take it anymore in Cape Town because that is where I hook myself up with the devil."

[17] He was back over eight metres on his IAAF Diamond League debut at the Golden Gala,[18] then claimed his first senior medal in almost five years at the 2016 African Championships in Athletics in Durban through a wind-assisted 8.23 m (27 ft 0 in).