IAAF World Championships

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 11: Luvo Manyonga of South Africa competes in the Men’s long jump final during athletics on day seven of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Carrara Stadium on April 11, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Olympic medalist Luvo Manyonga arrested for public drinking

Luvo Manyonga has been charged in terms of the Disaster Management Act and will apear in court in June.

IAAF World Championships

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 11: Luvo Manyonga of South Africa competes in the Men’s long jump final during athletics on day seven of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Carrara Stadium on April 11, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Star long jumper Luvo Manyonga has reportedly been arrested for public drinking on Wednesday.

The Olympic silver medalist is said to have been nabbed at Thubelitsha Park near Stellenbosch and has been ordered to pay a R2 500 admission of guilt fine.

Long jumper lands in hot water

According to TimesLivehe has been charged under the Disaster Management Park for “failure to confine himself in his place of residence and public drinking” and is expected to appear in court on 29 June.

Under Level 4 lockdown regulations, no one is permitted to sell or purchase alcohol, while large public gatherings are also prohibited to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

“A 29-year-old man was given a notice to appear in court for contravening Disaster Management Act regulations on 2020-05-20 in Stellenbosch. He is expected to appear in court on June 29,” Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said.

Noloyiso Rwexana

Manyonga rose to fame in 2010 when he clinched the gold medal in the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

He has since gone on to represent South Africa in various events, including the Olympics and the senior World Championships.

The 29-year-old has graced the podium on several occasions, most notably winning the silver medal behind American, Jeff Henderson at the Rio Olympics in 2016. 

The following year, he won gold at the World Championships in London, sharing the podium with countryman Rushwahl Samaai, who came third at the event.

His other major honours include gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Australia’s Gold Coast, as well as another first-place finish at the 2011 Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.

Manyonga is also widely admired for overcoming drug addiction and becoming a world-beater in athletics.

The long jumper was hooked on highly-addictive methamphetamine, tik, and beat his addiction in 2015 to resume his athletics career. He participated at the Olympics just a year after beating his addiction.