By the time she hit double digits, this future track and field star was already showing off her athletic chops—dominating basketball games like a natural. But life threw her a curveball when mysterious fevers and relentless nausea became her new normal. Days stretched into weeks as doctors brushed it off as a nasty virus or pneumonia. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. The truth? She was battling a rare and aggressive foe: an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor.

This rare condition mostly targets kids and teens, and it hit her hard. Things got so bad, she couldn’t even walk—her mom had to carry her around hospital hallways. But this little warrior didn’t back down. On Friday the 13th, 2013 (because, of course, it had to be that day), surgeons stepped in to remove the tumor entirely. The result? A life-changing victory. The fever vanished, and slowly but surely, she got back to doing what she loved: sports. Now, as a survivor who’s sprinting her way to track and field glory, she’s using her story to inspire others—and to shine a light for anyone battling similar challenges.

Track and field star is fighting for a noble cause thanks to Adidas

Addison “Addy” Wiley, now 21 and rocking the Adidas stripes as a sponsored athlete, recently popped up on Athlos’s X account with a powerful message about her purpose on the track. As a cancer survivor, she picks a cause close to her heart every year to spotlight, and this time, it’s childhood cancer. Why? Because running for something bigger than herself gives her sport a deeper meaning—and makes every step on the track even more impactful.

Talking about the parallels between track and field life, Addy dropped some wisdom: “When your spikes hit the track for the first time after the offseason, it’s kind of like revving the engine. You just feel energized, and you get super motivated by it. I think that’s a lot of track. Making the most of each opportunity you have on the track—that’s in life too. You don’t know how many opportunities and things you’re going to get.”

In January, just before the Paris Olympics, Addy Wiley, a standout track and field sophomore from Huntington University, made a major career move—she was going pro. The track phenom signed with Adidas, officially launching her professional career. Her debut came at the PNC Lenny Lyle Invitational in Louisville, where she raced the 800 meters. But for Addy, it’s not all about racing. She was also focused on her future. “Going forward I’m excited to continue earning my law degree and I’m thankful that Adidas supports my academic goals just as much as my athletic ones.”

At the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, Wiley competed in both the 800m and 1500m. She advanced to the semifinals of the 800m, placing 6th, then moved on to the final of the 1500m, where she finished 11th. While she missed the chance to compete at the Paris Olympics, she’s still making waves in the track world.

Addy was invited to join Athlos, created by none other than Alexis Ohanian, and took part in the Athlos NYC meet at Icahn Stadium in New York on September 26, 2024. There, she clocked an impressive 1:58.93 in the 800 meters, earning 1181 points and placing 4th in a competitive Category B field. Despite not making the Olympics this time, Addy’s performance continues to prove she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Having been gifted a second chance at life, she’s determined to help others find theirs too. It’s a mission fueled by purpose and heart, making her advocacy as inspiring as her speed on the track. Over the years, her track career has taken off, earning her a growing fanbase and cementing her status as a rising star in the sport.

Addy Wiley’s career on the track since she beat cancer

After beating cancer, Addy Wiley came to track and field with a bang. This middle-distance runner has won the NAIA eight times. Among the high school records, the fastest 1500m she ran was 3:59:17 minutes, which later translated into having the record for the 1600m in 4:26.16 minutes as well. She competed in the USATF U20 Championships, where she won the 1500m title with a 4:15:53 mark that made the US qualify for the World Athletics U20 Championship. There, she finished fifth with a 4:11:43 mark in the 1500m final.

After high school, Addy took her talents to Huntington University, where she quickly made a name for herself. In her freshman year in 2022, she became an All-American, and the following year, she was honored as the Track Athlete of the Year by the US Track and Field and Cross-Country Association. But after dominating the NAIA circuit, Addy knew it was time for a major change—she made the bold move to turn pro.

Her journey took an unexpected turn when she suffered a bad case of food poisoning leading up to the Olympic Trials, which left her unable to train at her best and ultimately missing out on her Olympic dream for Paris. But Addy’s resilience is unmatched. Since that setback, she’s won five of her last six races, showing that she’s more than capable of bouncing back. With her eyes set on the LA Olympics, Addy Wiley is poised to chase her dreams and make a huge impact on the world stage. Based on her current form, it’s clear she’s well on her way to achieving everything she’s set out to do.