CHICAGO, Ill. – For Olivia Coopwood, track and field has always been more than a sport—it has been a source of resilience, identity, and opportunity. This November, the Chicago State University assistant track & field coach will live out a dream as she travels to Tokyo, Japan, to represent both Team USA and CSU at the 25th Summer Deaflympics. From November 13–23, Coopwood will compete in the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, and the mixed 4x400-meter relay at Tokyo's National Stadium—the same iconic venue that hosted the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
A Lifelong Journey with Hearing Loss
For Chicago State University track and field assistant coach Olivia Coopwood, she has faced the challenge of hearing loss for nearly her entire life. "I have had a hard time hearing ever since the second grade," she said. "I was able to hear without my hearing aids for most of my life. It never affected me as much until I had my daughter, and now that I am older, I have to wear them all the time."
Despite the obstacles, Coopwood carved out an impressive collegiate career at Virginia Commonwealth University. At the 2018 Atlantic-10 Outdoor Championships, she stunned the field in the 400-meter hurdles, winning the conference title with a school-record time of 59.53 seconds. Her time is still stands as the school record at VCU today. The breakthrough earned her a spot in the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds. "When I broke that record, it was a crazy moment—no one expected me to win," she recalled. "I always told myself at VCU that I was going to do my best whenever I stepped on the track."
Rediscovering the Fire
After graduating, Coopwood stepped away from competition for two and a half years. But something inside her refused to let go of the sport. "Something in me told me to try again, to just keep going," she said. "I had to find a coach. I literally packed up everything I had and moved out of Virginia in search of continuing my training."
That leap of faith led her to coach Jeffery Artis-Gray in 2021. He not only sharpened her athletic skills but also embraced her unique needs. "Coach was really patient with me because I was hard of hearing, He would always make sure that I heard him." Coopwood said. Under his guidance, Coopwood lowered her 400-meter hurdles time to 57 seconds and began searching for opportunities in deaf athletics. At first, her search was unsuccessful. "I knew something for deaf people was out there," she said. "But I just couldn't find it, and I felt like I had to let it go."
An Unexpected Breakthrough
In November 2024, Coopwood joined the Chicago State coaching staff as an assistant, focusing on sprints, relays, and tasked as the recruiting coordinator. Ironically, it was on the recruiting trail that she discovered the opportunity she had been searching for. "On my last recruiting tour, I saw a deaf young lady competing who was posting very fast times," she explained. "When I went up to talk to her and recruit her, she posted that she was competing in the world championship for deaf athletics. I contacted her immediately asking, 'Who do I talk to? I want in on this as well.'"
That connection led Coopwood to the 2024 World Deaf Athletics Championships, where she earned a silver medal in the mixed 4x400 relay and finished fourth in the women's 4x100 relay. The competition, however, required major adjustments. "To begin the races, they have the normal start gun, but they also use lights so you know when to go. You can't wear hearing aids, so you run in complete silence," she explained.
The level of competition also surprised her. "Everyone was extremely fast. I'm pretty fast myself, but I did not expect everyone to be as elite as they were," she said. "That's when I told myself, 'I'm going to come back, and I'm going to be better than I ever was.' And I only had two months of training when I found out about the opportunity."
Sacrifice and Determination
When the chance to compete at the Deaflympics came, Coopwood nearly had to turn it down because of financial barriers. "The money was an issue at first," she admitted. "I wasn't sure if I was going to have the funds to attend—it costs around $6,000."
Ultimately, she decided to take the leap of faith. "When I decided I was going to attend, I knew I was risking putting myself in financial jeopardy," she said. "I tried fundraising on my own, but so far everything has been coming out of pocket."
Balancing her coaching duties and training has been another challenge. "I've been training whenever I can," Coopwood said. "I get up at 5:00 AM some days for cross country practice and don't finish work until 5:00 PM. I'm working and training at the same time, but it hasn't stopped me—and I don't want anything to stop me. I'm going to Tokyo to make a statement that I can do this. Push through the hardships, along with being a single mother. Track and field lets me know that I am somebody and that I am important."
Eyes on Tokyo
With the Deaflympics less than two months away, Coopwood is preparing to fly to Japan with both excitement and purpose.
"I am very excited to meet people from all over the world," she said. "It's expected to be bigger than the last Deaflympics, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to compete."
In addition to coaching and training, Coopwood is also an author of two poetry books,
Sound Off and
Freedom, both available on Amazon. As a single mother, she continues to accept donations to help make her journey to Tokyo possible.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Olivia to represent her country and community, but she needs
your support to get there. Travel, training, equipment, and competition costs quickly add up, and every donation will bring her one step closer to the dream.
If you'd like to help Olivia compete on the world stage, please consider donating or sharing her campaign:
DONATE HERE
Your support—no matter the amount—means the world. Let's help Olivia make history!
The track and field competition at the 25th Summer Deaflympics will officially run from November 15–23 at Tokyo's National Stadium, where Coopwood hopes to make history once again—this time on the world stage.
