Growing up in Britain, Mayalee Osola began with ballet in preschool. From age 6 through her tween years, she was a gymnast. And in her early years of high school, she played everything from tennis and field hockey to traditional English games such netball, rounders and cricket.
With her penchant for multiple sports, it’s not surprising that Osola would eventually find her way to what are considered the ultimate all-around tests for female athletes — the pentathlon and heptathlon.
“When I focused solely on track and field in my last two years of high school, one event wasn’t enough for me. I had to be in everything,” said Osola. “I even tried the pole vault once.”
The sophomore from the southwest English city of Bristol is showcasing her sprinting, throwing and jumping skills as a member of Cal State Fullerton’s track and field team. At the New Mexico College Classic indoor meet this month in Albuquerque, she improved her school pentathlon record with a 3569-point showing.
For the uninitiated, the NCAA indoor pentathlon is a one-day, five-event competition for women, featuring the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 meters. Its longer-format companion is the outdoor heptathlon, which is a two-day competition with seven events — the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meters on Day 1, followed by the long jump, javelin and 800 meters on Day 2.
The two disciplines, known as “multis,” are scored using points tables based on performance rather than placement in each event. The entrant with the highest total points wins.
“It’s very physically challenging doing five events in one day”, said Osola, whose friends call her Maya. “Let’s say your first event goes badly. You have to snap out of that negative mindset and be able to crack on with your second event and not let it affect the events you’ve got left. A lot of resilience and determination is required.”
Osola’s strategy is to do her best, execute well and not get too hung up on times and marks. “In New Mexico, I wasn’t thinking about numbers, and it worked out quite well. Subconsciously, I will have a number for each event, but it’s floating around in the back of my head.”
Read more about Osola on the Titans Athletics website.