“Coming in here, I was confident in my training and what we’ve done and I felt ready, but also I felt like maybe everyone was feeling that way – so it was important to show up, take care of business, not sleep on anybody, and make it through the rounds as safely as possible.”
Nia Akins joins us live in Eugene after winning the 800m title at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Nia breaks down how she approached the 800m rounds at the Trials, how she stayed composed during the 800m final when chaos broke out, shares about how she gained confidence heading into the meet, how she and coach Danny Mackey structure her training + competition schedule, and lots more. Hear more from Nia in this episode of the CITIUS MAG Podcast.
Host: Hosts: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram
Guest: Nia Akins | @nia_akins on Instagram
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CITIUS MAG LIVE From Eugene! will bring you daily interviews with athletes, coaches and notable folks in town at noon PT each day. Our guests for day six of the Olympic Trials include Chari Hawkins, Anna Hall, Nia Akins, Eric Holt, Vernon Norwood, Allie Wilson, and Juliette + Isabelle Whittaker.
LIVE SHOWS
Good Morning Track and Field will start your day with some takes and updates from Eugene hosted by Eric Jenkins, Mitch Dyer and Karen Lesiewicz at 8:30 a.m. PT.
TRIALS TALK – our hit daily podcast series from 2021 – returns on The CITIUS MAG Podcast feed + streaming live immediately post-race to unpack all of the action immediately following the meet.
LIVE MEET COVERAGE
Stay updated on live results, mixed zone interviews and more on the CITIUS MAG Instagram, X and Threads pages while the meet is underway each evening. All interviews will be uploaded to our aforementioned YouTube channel.
Also, CITIUS MAG Newsletter subscribers will be getting daily emails from the Trials as David Melly rounds up all of the biggest results, stories + our best interviews, photos and original content from Eugene. If you want to hook a friend, there’s no better time than the Trials so forward them the emails or encourage them to sign up today for FREE here: https://citiusmag.beehiiv.com/
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Nia Akins is an accomplished middle-distance runner from the United States, specializing in the 800 meters. She gained prominence during her collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania, where she became a two-time NCAA runner-up in the 800m. Akins has since transitioned to professional athletics, setting personal bests and competing at national championships.
Eric Holt is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters. He is a member of the Empire Elite Track Club, a training group based in New York City, and is the 2022 NACAC 1500 m champion. After a number of successful seasons, Holt signed a professional contract with Puma in 2024.
Vernon Norwood is an accomplished American sprinter specializing in the 400 meters. He has represented the United States in various international competitions, including the World Championships and the Olympics. Norwood has been an integral part of the U.S. relay teams, contributing to several medal-winning performances.
