Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Atkins.
Hi Joanna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a professional track and field athlete. I have been running track and field since I was ten years old. It all started when I got off the school bus with a flyer to run with a summer track team. My mom took me to registrations and I have been running ever since. The track has taken me to many places within the country and globally. The track has taught me many lessons throughout my journey. As a youth, I have learned that the only thing I can control is my reaction on how I chose to handle things. I learned that at track practice when two of my coaches pulled me aside and gave me my first life lesson. At the age of 11 or 12, I won three gold medals at an AAU track meet hosted in Florida.
Track and field provided a full scholarship to Auburn University, where I learned how to be an entrepreneur. My major was Family Business/Entrepreneur. In 2009, I won the NCAA Championship in the 400m meters with a time of 50.39. I am also a two-time SEC Champion in the 400m.
From college, I became a professional track and field athlete. I won three gold medals in the 4×4 relay. I participated in the Outdoor World Championship in Moscow, Russia in 2013, the 2014 Indoor World Championship in Poland, 2018 Indoor World Championship in Birmingham, United Kingdom. I have additional three gold medals representing Team USA World Relays in 2014 and 2017 in Nassau, Bahamas, and 2019 in Yokohama, Japan.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road was far from smooth. After having a really good season in 2014 without any sponsorship, I signed a contract with Nike in January 2015. I found out I was pregnant later that year and I had an emergency C section at 25 weeks. My son was born June 10, 2015, three months early from his due date. He was 1 lb, 15 ounces, and 13 inches long. He was in the hospital for three months. I was able to bring my son home in September and he was 6lbs. After I was clear to practice, seven weeks after my C -section surgery, I started slowly to work myself back into shape. I was able to run close to my personal best in the 100 and 200m in 2016, an Olympic year. I attended the Olympic trials in Eugen, Oregon, with a seasonal best in the 100 at a time of 11.09 and 200 at a time of 22.40 sec. I missed finals for the 100 and 200 by two spots. They were only taking the top 8 to finals. I left Olympics motivated to end my season on a good note since my body was responding very well to my training.
August 24, 2016, I was on my way to the airport to compete in the Diamond League track meet in Paris, France. My mom was driving and I was in the back seat with my son when a pick-up truck hit us. The truck was speeding out of control and hit the driver’s side and back passenger side. The accident left me with three hernias in my neck, the front and back lobe of my brain-injured, and three cuts on my face. One cut was to the bone and I had to get stitches. This accident ended my season. I was not able to compete to renew my contract or appeal to other shoe companies for sponsorship. The road to recovery was long and unpredictable. For a year, my head hurt, I had migraines and my mind was simply not connecting to my body. There would be plenty of times that I am running and I do not feel myself running. I would see that I was moving because my surroundings were changing.
I was able to represent Team USA at World Relays in 2017, which was hosted in Nassau, Bahamas. I was a part of the 4×400 relay and we won the gold. The road to recovery is something that I am still dealing with to this day. Since the car accident, I was able to attend to 2018 Indoor World Championship in Birmingham, United Kingdom. I had won a gold medal in the 4×400 relay representing Team USA World Relays in 2019 in Japan. The Olympics were supposed to happen in 2020; however, Covid 19 caused track and field to stop and the Olympics were rescheduled to 2021. I did not have a sponsorship since 2016 or during the pandemic, so I had to manage work as a substitute teacher, training, motherhood, and pursuing my masters all at once.
My setbacks, delays were grooming me to be tougher, to be patient but most important to keep fighting. To keep fighting for my dreams because God has made me more for just myself. My experiences were not meant to be just for me. It was meant to help people. It was meant to have an understanding heart when I needed it. To be patient with people while they are still trying to find themselves on their journey. My experience taught me how to keep pushing and fighting no matter how tough things get.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of the birth of my son. My son has given me the strength to push through my struggles and to see the plan out even if it is not what I expected. I have a passion for helping and I can encourage the youth through my struggles. Outside of track and field, I guess I would say I specialized as a motivational speaker. What sets me apart from others is that I speak about my journey while I am still on my journey. Some people do not talk about their struggles and challenges while they are going through them. On my journey, I have shared my experiences with the youth to inspire, inform and encourage them to keep going. It’s worth the fight.
Can you talk about how you think about risk?
I am all for taking risks. Track and field is a risk because outside of sponsorship, the only source of finance comes from competing internationally and receiving grants. To compete internationally in the Diamond League, the athlete has to be ranked at least in the top 10 in the world. After the top 10 in the world, other athletes may be considered to compete in a race. The money received from sponsorship and competition supports the athlete’s livelihood. So, competing at the best of your ability is directly tied to your finances. I have been running professionally for ten years. I need to perform to the best of my ability because I am a mother. I have to provide for my child. There have been times where I am reevaluating the risk of running without sponsorship to accomplish my goals or to retire and work a corporate job. When it comes to risk, it does depend on your support group and your faith or determination to find a way to keep pursuing your dream. My faith and support team has definitely helped me take on the risk of being a professional track and field athlete.
Contact Info:
- Email: atkinselite@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannaatkins400/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpiRWBPSuj514agdX17IdA
Image Credits:
Danielle Pope-flawlessly_fotogenic John Lee Jr-503tvkrutch
