Manyonga will attempt to set a new long jump world record in the Alps
Luvo Manyonga will be involved this week in a special effort by some top athletes to improve the long jump world record in the Alps in France.
The world long jump champion, Luvo Manyonga, has his sights set on the world record for quite a while now and just maybe it might happen in France this week.
It is certainly going to be a unique world record attempt. If the South African athlete or any of the other six athletes competing succeed in doing so, there is bound to be some controversy because they are competing at 3 032 metres above sea-level on a specially built long jump track. Most of the world record attempts happened at sea level.
The athletes will warm up at an indoor facility in Tignes and then be flown up by helicopter to the track in the Alps. It is about a two-minute flight.
Mike Powell who jumped 8.95 metres in 1991 at the Tokyo World Championships holds the current world record.
It is interesting to note that when Bob Beamon (USA) set his world record of 8.90m at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, he competed at 2 250 metres. At the time it was argued that Beamon had an unfair advantaged competing at such a high altitude.
Earlier this season Manyonga set his South African record of 8.65 metres in Potchefstroom which is only 1 341 metres above sea level.
It will be a definite challenge for Manyonga and the athletes to compete at 3 032 metres. The problem with competing at high altitude is that there is less oxygen which means an athlete’s respiratory rate and heart rate speed up.
Manyonga’s coach, Neil Cornelius, made it clear that it is not going to be a case of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread.
“We have planned for the world record attempt. Karen Gibbs (physiotherapist) has been helping Luvo with special breathing exercises to prepare him from competing at 3 000 metres. We also made provision for special thermal clothing should it be really cold in the mountains,” he explained.
As to whether the IAAF will recognise a world record set at such a high altitude Cornelius said he foresees no problems.
“All of this is legal. What might happen is that the statisticians will put an ‘A’ in brackets behind whatever distance is jumped to indicate it happened at altitude. Personally, I don’t view this as any different than Luvo jumping at Tuks which is also at altitude.”
According to Cornelius, the organisers have set three days aside for this world record attempt. If the weather is not perfect on the first day, the athletes might only compete on day two or day three.
There will also be an attempt at the world triple jump record at the same time. It is understood that Jeff Henderson (USA) the Olympic long jump champion and Christian Taylor (USA) the world triple jump champion will also be competing.
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