When the COVID-19 pandemic shackled the world to its couches and fears, Nia Akins picked up a guitar. She’d always thought about learning the instrument and a period of global isolation seemed as good a time as any.
There it sat. Life returned, on the track and in hospital hallways. She began leaving a sizeable mark at Penn University, as an NCAA runner-up in the outdoor and indoor 800 while being name college athlete of the meet at the storied Penn Relays. Along the way to shaping herself into an Olympic contender, Akins ran cross country and locked down a nursing degree at Penn, one of the prestigious programs in the country.
That came a week ago, when Akins roared back from sixth in the final, grabbed the lead with 50 meters to go and outkicked the field to win in 1:59.50 — just under 2 minutes, a fraction of a second, but differentiator of true stars.Akins will compete in the world championships, beginning with the women’s 800 heats on Aug. 23 in Budapest, Hungary. American Athing Mu, the reigning U.S. and Olympic champ, leads a list of formidable contenders.
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