It began quietly—almost unnoticeably.

Not with a roaring stadium or medals gleaming under stadium lights. But with a teenage girl, 13 years old, sitting in the nurse’s office at Holy Childhood High in Kingston, Jamaica—overweight, pre-hypertensive, and unsure of where her story was headed.

That girl was Adrienne Adams. And what happened next would alter her life forever.

“I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I just knew I didn’t feel like myself,” she recalls. But Nurse Reid, the school nurse, didn’t just hand her a pamphlet or warn her about her health. She saw her. And she acted, introducing Adrienne to a man, coach Delroy Johnson, who would become one of the first in a long line of champions for her potential.

“He didn’t look at me and see a problem. He saw possibility,” Adrienne says with a quiet reverence. “That changed everything.”

By 2019, the world began to take notice. That year alone, Adrienne won silver at the prestigious Boys and Girls Championships, helped her team to a Penn Relays victory, became a National Junior Champion, and earned a spot in the PanAm U20 finals. For a girl who once struggled with self-worth and health, this new chapter felt like the opening of something much bigger.

Coach Michael Vassell, another guiding light, sharpened her focus. “He didn’t just train my body, he trained my mindset,” she shares. “He taught me to study the sport, to respect it, and to respect myself.” Under his guidance and later with coach Caniggia Raynor, Adrienne blossomed, qualifying for national teams, winning medals, and earning a full scholarship to the University of Central Florida (UCF). For many, that would’ve been the dream. For Adrienne, it was just the beginning.

Her first seasons at UCF were electric. But as quickly as momentum built, the foundation beneath her began to shake. When her coach left after the pandemic, Adrienne stayed behind—hopeful. But soon after, a training injury led to arthroscopic surgery on her left knee. Recovery was tough. Physically, she lost muscle and strength. Emotionally, she felt like she was unravelling. Then came the diagnosis: diabetes.

“It was one thing after another. My body, my health, my confidence, even my grades were all slipping away.” Yet, despite all these challenges, she broke the school discus record twice, with a personal best of 57.76m, and became an NCAA All-American who later transferred to Auburn University.

As an international student, far from home and family, Adrienne began to question if it was all still worth it. “I was losing myself under the weight of trying to be everything at once: the athlete, the scholar, the role model.”

In those dark moments, she found something deeper.
“I leaned on my faith in a way I never had before. God didn’t just comfort me, He carried me.”

Transferring to Auburn University marked a new chapter. New city. New coaches. New fire. She soared. Bronze in the SEC Indoor Championships. Silver in the Outdoor Championships. A 6th place finish at NCAA Nationals—earning her First Team All-American honours. And most triumphant of all, she shattered the Auburn school record in the discus with a throw of 60.55m.

This wasn’t just a comeback. It was a rebirth. And she wasn’t just succeeding on the field. She had earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, followed by a Master’s degree in Biomechanics—a feat few athletes can claim while competing at the highest level.

The Heart Behind the Accomplishments

When asked who she credits for her journey, Adrienne doesn’t hesitate. “God, first. Always,” she says. “He’s my why. Without Him, none of this makes sense.” Then comes the rest of her circle—the nurse who nudged her in the right direction, the coaches who sculpted her into an elite thrower, the friends who became family during the hardest seasons, and her actual family. “My mother Barbara, the prayer warrior of the family; my sister Amoy, my mirror of strength; my father Errol, whose belief in me has never wavered.”

So what’s next for the girl who once stood uncertain in a nurse’s office and now throws like her life depends on it?

“There’s still so much more to do,” she says. “I want to compete professionally. Represent Jamaica again. Maybe coach one day. And always, always pour into others like people poured into me.”

Adrienne Adams is a story of becoming. Of breaking. Of believing. And she’s proof that even when life puts weights on your shoulders, you can still throw light into the world.

To follow Adrienne’s journey, connect via Instagram at @adrizzle____.