Sept. 14, 2004
Derrick Adkins, former world champion and Olympic gold medalist, has been named Columbia's assistant track & field coach head coach Willy Wood announced.
Adkins, a Long Island native, comes to the Lions with invaluable experience as both a coach and a world-class hurdler. While serving as a volunteer alumni assistant at his alma mater Georgia Tech from 1993-2001, Adkins was establishing himself as, arguably, the best 400-meter hurdler in the world from 1994-1996. Adkins won the 1994 Goodwill Games, setting the event record in the process, and the first of his consecutive United States National Championships. In 1995 he became the world champion and followed with the Olympic Gold in his adopted hometown of Atlanta in 1996. During his career he broke the 48-second mark 17 different times.
As an assistant at Georgia Tech, Adkins was involved in the daily training of sprinters, hurdlers and middle distance runners. With an expert eye for technique, he was instrumental in the development of 1998 NCAA and 2000 Olympic champion Angelo Taylor. Adkins has also served as a personal coach for a successful NCAA-qualifying hurdler currently at Georgia Tech.
Following his running career, Adkins stayed involved with the sport as a professional. He organized, promoted and managed the Annual Derrick Adkins Classic, the largest high school track meet on Long Island. He also served as an Operations Manager for Super Runners Incorporated, a New York based running shoe chain. In 1998, he was the official spokesperson for CASA of Metro-Atlanta, an organization supporting abused and neglected children. He is an accomplished motivational speaker as well.
Adkins is a member of the Board of Directors for the Armory Track Center and NYC2012, the organization bidding to bring the Olympics to New York.
