Nia Akins
{{Short description|American athlete (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Nia Akins
| image = Nia Akins (cropped).jpg
| caption = Akins at the 2023 World Athletics Championships
| full_name =
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|7|7}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| sport = Athletics
| event = 800m
| pb =800m: (1:57.36 Eugene, Oregon, 2024)
}}
Nia Akins (born July 7, 1998) is an American track and field athlete. In 2023, she became the United States national champion over 800m; both indoors and outdoors. She retained her outdoors title in 2024 and regained the indoors title in 2025.{{cite web |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/nia-akins-14615589 |website=World Athletics |title=Nia Akins |accessdate=July 7, 2023}}
Early life
From San Diego, the daughter of Nicol Hodges, she attended Rancho Bernardo High School before attending the University of Pennsylvania in 2016.{{cite web |url=https://pennathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/nia-akins/15790 |website=Pennathletics.com |title=Nia Akins |accessdate=July 7, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/sports/story/2019-06-24/rb-grad-making-strides-on-track-in-nursing |accessdate=July 6, 2023 |website=San Diego Union Tribune |title=RB grad making strides on track, in nursing |first=Terry |last=Monahan |date=June 27, 2019}} On May 18, 2020, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing.{{cite web |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a32825698/nia-akins-ncaa-runner-racial-discrimination/ |website=Runners World |accessdate=July 7, 2023 |title=I’m an All-American Runner and Ivy League Grad. I Still Can’t Escape Racism |date=June 11, 2020}}
Career
Competing at a collegiate level, she was a two-time NCAA 800m runner-up. At the 2019 NACAC U23 Championships, she won a silver medal in the 800m in Queretaro, Mexico.{{cite web |url=https://pennathletics.com/news/2019/7/6/womens-track-and-field-akins-earns-silver-in-800-at-nacac-u23-championship |website=Pennathletics |accessdate=July 7, 2023 |date=July 6, 2019 |title=Akins Earns Silver in 800 at NACAC U23 Championships}}
Akins was the only runner to turn pro in 2020, having run the second-fastest 800m time in NCAA history of 2:00.71 at the Boston Invitational.{{cite web |url=https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/nia-akins-runs-second-fastest-800m-ncaa-history |accessdate=July 7, 2023 |website=Penntoday |title=Nia Akins runs second-fastest 800m in NCAA history |date=February 16, 2020}} She moved to Seattle to train under Danny Mackey with the Brooks Beasts Track Club, alongside athletes such as Olympic medalist Josh Kerr, and Allie Ostrander.{{cite web |url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/07/nia-akins-brooks-beasts-pro-track-penn |website=thedp.com |accessdate=July 7, 2023 |title=After joining a professional track team, Nia Akins adjusts to life in Seattle |first=Kathryn |last=Xu |date=July 4, 2020}}
In July 2022, she ran a new personal best time of 1:58.78 in Memphis, Tennessee.{{cite web |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2022/07/2022-ed-murphey-classic-results-final-american-track-league-meet-results/ |website=Lets Run |accessdate=July 7, 2023 |title=2022 Ed Murphey Classic Results – Final American Track League Meet Results |date=July 30, 2022}}
In February 2023, Akins won the US national indoor 800m title, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.{{cite web |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/02/sam-prakel-completes-the-double-nikki-hiltz-nia-akins-get-first-usatf-track-titles/ |website=Lets Run |accessdate=June 7, 2023 |title=Sam Prakel Completes the Double*, Nikki Hiltz, Nia Akins Get First USATF Track Titles |date=February 19, 2023}} She started her 2023 outdoor season with victories at both of her outdoor 800m races, running a 1:59.37 at the Portland Track Festival and then a 1:59.76 in Portland on June 24, 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/06/2023-usas-w800-1500-preview-will-sinclaire-johnson-repeat-how-does-athing-mu-do-in-the-1500/ |accessdate=July 7, 2023 |website=Lets Run |title=2023 USAs W800/1500 Preview: Will Sinclaire Johnson Repeat & How Does Athing Mu Do in the 1500? |first=Jonathan |last=Gault |date=June 30, 2023}}
Competing at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in Eugene, Oregon, she reached the final of the 800m competition as the fastest qualifier and won the final ahead of Raevyn Rogers.{{cite web |url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/4374/women-s-800m-results-usatf-outdoor-championships-2023 |website=Watch Athletics |accessdate=July 8, 2023 |date=July 7, 2023 |title=Women's 800m Results: USATF Outdoor Championships 2023}} She was selected for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/08/usatf-announces-2023-world-championship-roster/ |website=letsrun.com |accessdate=August 8, 2023 |date=August 7, 2023 |first=Jonathan |last=Gault |title=USATF Announces 2023 World Championship Roster}} She ran a new personal best in the final, running 1:57.73 in finishing sixth.{{cite web |url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/4564/women-s-800m-results-world-athletics-championships-2023 |date=August 23, 2023 |accessdate=August 23, 2023 |title=Women's 800m Results: World Athletics Championships 2023 |website=World Athletics}} She also made her Diamond League debut in August 2023, finishing fourth in the 800 metres in Zürich.{{cite web |url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/4601/women-s-800m-results-weltklasse-zurich-diamond-league-2023 |website=Watch Athletics |accessdate=September 1, 2023 |title=Women's 800m Results: Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League 2023 |date=August 31, 2023}}
Aikens won the 800m at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 24, 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/ce558vmp48jo |title=Olympic champion Mu falls in US trials & will miss Paris |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=June 25, 2024}} She competed in the 800 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in August 2024, reaching the semi-finals.{{cite web|url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/5830/women-s-800m-results-paris-olympic-games-2024-athletics#google_vignette|website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=8 September 2024|date=5 August 2024|title= Women's 800m Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics}}
She won the 800 metres title at the 2025 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.{{cite web|url= https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/02/2025-usa-indoors-womens-recap-nikki-hiltz-completes-1500-3000-sweep-resurgent-nia-akins-wins-800/|website=Lets Run|accessdate=24 Feb 2025|title= Nikki Hiltz Completes 1500/3000 Sweep, Resurgent Nia Akins Wins 800
|date=23 Feb 2025|first=Noah|last=Jampol}} She was selected for the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March 2025, where she qualified for the semi-finals.{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Hall|url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/13923755-usatf-announces-56-athletes-for-team-usa-at-2025-world-indoor-championships|website=Flotrack|date=14 March 2025|title= USATF Announces 56 Athletes For Team USA At 2025 World Indoor Championships|accessdate=14 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/03/2025-world-indoors-day-1-am-nia-akins-josh-hoey-look-great-in-a-good-session-for-americans/|website=Lets Run|date=21 March 2025|accessdate=21 March 2025|title= 2025 World Indoors Day 1 AM: Nia Akins & Josh Hoey Look Great in a Good Session for Americans}} She fell after only 100 metres of her semi-final, but kept running and almost qualified for the final, finishing just 0.18 seconds short.{{cite web|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/03/2025-world-indoors-day-2-am-hoey-miller-to-800m-final-akins-almost-qualifies-despite-fall/|website=Lets Run|accessdate=22 March 2025|date=22 March 2025|title= 2025 World Indoors Day 2 AM: Hoey, Miller to 800m Final; Akins Almost Qualifies Despite Fall|first=Jonathan|last=Gault}}
In May 2025, she was named as a challenger for the short distance category at the 2025 Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia.{{cite web|url=https://citiusmag.com/articles/grand-slam-track-full-athletes-field-philadelphia-racers-challengers|website=Citiusmag.com|access-date=28 May 2025|title= Grand Slam Track Announces Full Athletes Field For Philadelphia: Full Racers, Challengers Competing|first=Chris|last=Chavez|date=May 23, 2025}}
=International competitions=
| {{AchievementTable|nation=USA|Event=yes|Time=yes|NotesOff=yes}} |
| 2023
|World Athletics Championships |6th |800 m |
| 2024
|10th (sf) |800 m |
| 2025
|9th (sf) |800 m |
=National championships=
| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes|Time=yes|NotesOff=yes}} |
| 2019
|USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships |7th |800m |2:04.39 |
| 2021
|9th |800m |2:12.87 |
| rowspan=2|2022
|USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |7th |800m |2:05.88 |
| |USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|11th |800m |2:01.90 |
| rowspan=2|2023
|USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |bgcolor=gold|1st |800m |2:00.16 |
| USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|bgcolor=gold|1st |800m |1:59.50 |
| rowspan=2|2024
|USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |bgcolor=cc9900|3rd |800m |2:00.90 |
| USA Olympic Trials
|bgcolor=gold|1st |800m |1:57.36 |
=Circuit performances=
{{Grand Slam Track}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{World Athletics}}
- {{USATF|new_id=nia-akins}}
- {{Team USA|new_id=nia-akins}}
- {{Olympics.com profile|nia-akins}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in women's 800 m}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer Team USA Track & Field 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akins, Nia}}
Category:African-American track and field athletes
Category:American female middle-distance runners
Category:Track and field athletes from San Diego
Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni
Category:Penn Quakers women's track and field athletes
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:21st-century American sportswomen
Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States