2005 Atkins participated at the
2005 World Championships but failed to progress past the first round. With the Bahamian
4 x 100 metres relay team he finished fourth at the
2003 Central American and Caribbean Championships and won a bronze medal at the
2005 Central American and Caribbean Championships.
2006 At the
2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, Atkins won the silver medal, having established a national record of 10.08 seconds during the heats.
2007 On 28 April 2007 in
Berkeley, California, Atkins again lowered the national record, to 9.98 seconds. He also ran 9.86 s and 9.83 s, though with tail winds of 2.3 and 2.4 m/s. On 26 August 2007 at the
2007 World Championships, Atkins came second with a national record time of 9.91s (wind speed -0.5 m/s). The event was won by
Tyson Gay who ran 9.85 s. Atkins beat the world record holder and favorite for the event,
Asafa Powell who ran 9.96 seconds.
2008 Atkins represented the Bahamas at the
2008 Summer Olympics in
Beijing where he competed at the 100 metres sprint and placed 1st in his heat in a time of 10.28 seconds in front of
Andrey Yepishin and
Jaysuma Saidy Ndure. In the second round he improved his time to 10.14 seconds, finishing third in his heat behind
Asafa Powell and
Walter Dix, qualifying for the semi-finals. There a 10.13 seconds race was unable to bring him in the final, finishing in sixth place of his semi final.
2013 Derrick Atkins was inducted in the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics NAIA Hall of fame, His College career includes 3 Team National Track and field Championships, 7 time individual National champion, 15 National NAIA All-American Honors, 9 times DAC-10 All Conference Honors and
Dickinson State University Male Athlete of the year. ==References==