Adannia Agbo feels blessed to be here. It’s a word that’s constantly associated with her, and for good reason. She acknowledges even the smallest victories and setbacks with grace and a smile on her face.
Every step Agbo takes down the runway is propelled by those who have been there before – her Nigerian immigrant parents, revered triple-jump legends, and even her teammates. Above all, her faith made the blind leap into collegiate athletics a simple hop, skip, and jump into a stuck landing.
“If I’m having a bad day, I just remember, I’m here for a reason,” junior triple jumper Agbo said. “It’s not the end of the world and someone did it before me. So it gives me the power and encouragement and just a reminder that it will be fine and I’m doing everything [that] I’m doing for a purpose.”
Although Agbo is grounded by those who came before, she’s making history in her own right. Last December, she broke the indoor triple jump program record at the season opener with a phenomenal 13.05-meter (42 feet, 9.75 inch) leap. That mark sent Agbo to the elite triple jump invite section of the Tiger Paw Invitational on Valentine’s Day, where she faced off against reigning Olympic champion Thea LaFond.
“I can say that that experience made me realize how much I’ve grown mentally, physically, and that even to be put in a box or put in that type of scenario with her, just proves that I am greater than I think,” Agbo said. “I’m doing better than I think, and it’s only a matter of time before I’m exactly where I feel like I need to be in terms of athletics and competing.”
Although she spent most of her track career competing in the United States, Agbo was first introduced to track and field when she went to primary and secondary school in Nigeria. Like most beginners, Agbo began her journey as a sprinter on the oval.
While Agbo wasn’t a weak sprinter — she even donned the Red and Blue for short sprints last spring — her high school coaches recognized her potential as a jumper shortly after moving back to the United States in 2019.
Agbo spent the rest of her high school career learning to love jumping, all while staring down the Morris County triple jump and long jump records set by three-time Olympian Keturah Orji. In 2016, Orji became the first American woman since 1996 to make an Olympic triple jump final. It’s safe to say that Agbo had big shoes to fill.
“People would tell me ‘you’re right under an Olympian, that’s such a great thing,’” Agbo said of being compared to Orji. “‘You’re going in the right place. You’re going in the right direction.’ And even on days where I didn’t compete my best, or I just didn’t have the best day, it would be a reminder that, as I mentioned before, people have done this before me. Greatness has been here before me.”
Agbo has evolved from a standout athlete into a strong leader on the jumps squad, showing up for others the way she would have wanted as an underclassman new to collegiate athletics. As always, Agbo gives credit to those who came before, but now it’s up to her “to learn from those experiences … and move forward building.”
Relying on her support system has always been a source of strength for Agbo, and her best friend and teammate, junior jumper Paris Ivery, has been there since she first stepped on Locust Walk. Ivery and Agbo consistently support each other despite competing against each other, taking turns cheering on whoever’s next on the runway. At the end of the indoor season, the two stood on the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships podium together, finishing 4th and 5th in the triple jump.
“She understands when things in my personal life might not be going well, and during those moments, it’s a blessing to have someone who can give me that extra push and motivation to get through practice,” Ivery wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. “Being able to train with her is something I don’t take for granted, it’s a real blessing.”
“Being able to celebrate those wins with someone you’ve struggled with, grown with, and battled through tough moments with makes it that much more meaningful,” Ivery added.
Throughout all her triumphs and failures, one factor has remained a constant for Agbo: her faith. Understanding that God has a plan for her has kept her rooted and focused on her goals, whether that be in athletics or academics.
“If it’s meant to be, it will be, and if it’s not meant to be, then God has bigger and better plans for me at a different time,” Agbo said.
A psychology major, Agbo remembers struggling in chemistry, eventually dropping the class in her freshman spring. But she was able to overcome the anxiety and passed CHEM 1012 and 1022 over the summer with A’s. Her strong grounding spans further than her athletic pursuits, a strength she will carry into her future career as a pediatric psychiatrist.
Agbo’s trust in God has quieted her anxiety and nerves during tough times, improving her mentality on the oval and making her into the athlete we see today. Her fear became background noise, as Agbo reminds herself that she “could do all things through the Lord who gives me strength” as she continues to the next goal.
What is her next goal? Breaking the outdoor triple jump program record – the only women’s track and field program record from the 20th century.
With Penn relays around the corner, Agbo has the potential to win a title on her home turf. She also has her eye on an even bigger goal: the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
No matter what challenges she may face down the road, there’s no doubt Agbo will persevere, feeling blessed for the experience.
“On and off the track, she brings so much love and positive energy. Being around her just feels good — she has a way of lifting your spirit without even trying,” Ivery wrote. “Everything she does comes from a real place, and you can feel that. She doesn’t just talk about being supportive, she lives it. And to be able to experience that kind of friendship and energy every day is honestly a blessing.”
