Derrick Adkins

An Olympic athlete and motivational speaker, Derrick Adkins currently serves as a senior representative with the New York Road Runners organization. In this role, he visits more than 100 New York City schools per year to inspire students to achieve their academic and personal goals. He is also the founder of Armory College Prep, which provides academic support for high school student-athletes. Additionally, from 2006 to 2011, Derrick Adkins served as director of the New Balance Armory Track and Field Center.

A capable athlete from a young age, Mr. Adkins graduated from Malverne High School in 1988. During his high school athletic career, he ranked as the top 400 meter hurdler in the country. Subsequently, he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. After graduation, he began his international athletic career, finishing third in the 1991 U.S. National Championships and sixth in the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo. Derrick Adkins won the World Student Games in both 1991 and 1993, as well as the Olympic Gold Medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.