Oxbridge Academy’s Octavia Massena knew she would be counted on at the state meet this season and she didn’t disappoint.
Massena helped the ThunderWolves finish fifth at state with just two athletes as she teamed with fellow senior Akari Marshall to score 31 points. Massena won the triple jump, took sixth in the 400 meters and ninth in both the long jump and 200.
“Winning the triple jump was really heartwarming because I worked hard to come back (from a disappointing finish in the long jump) and win it,” Massena said. “It was surreal.”
“States was a little bit different because last year (when Oxbridge finished third) we had seven girls and this year we had less,” Massena said. “We didn’t have as much support as usual, but me and Akari were pulling the strings and doing what we could to get enough points. We came up short, but it is okay because I thought it was a great performance with just two girls.”
Massena’s personal bests in each event were 56.37 (400), 24.92 (200), 17-11 ½ (long jump) and 38-11 (triple jump). Marshall was second in the 200, third in the 100, and fifth in the 400 at the meet.
Massena returned from an ankle injury that sidelined her for eight weeks at the start of the season. She is signed with Western Carolina University.
“There was a lot of pressure, especially in the long jump because it was my first year trying it,” Massena said. “It was kind of scary because we had counted on me getting top 5, but we just had to make up for it in the other events.”
Admittedly, Massena said there were anxious moments going into her events this year and having to battle back from the ankle injury. She said her work ethic got her there.
“Octavia is one of the most gifted athletes I’ve had the pleasure of training,” said ThunderWolves track coach Bayardo Sinclair. “Despite a late start in the sport, her perseverance and drive allowed her to accomplish so much in a very short time.”
