Former Bainbridge High School Bearcats Ty Akins continues to set records around the world.
Akins was an All-Region 1-AAAA and All-State hurdler Ty Akins, who went on to become a first team All-American and first team All-SEC hurdler with the Auburn Tigers and is now performing with the Doyle Management professional track group.
He won the Nigerian 110-meter hurdles National Championship July 23 and 24 with a time of 13.16 and qualified to compete with the Nigerian Olympic team next summer games.
Akins, who was also a first team All-Region 1-AAAA wide receiver with the Bearcats football team, graduated in 2004 when he was the BHS 2003-2004 male senior Athlete of the Year.
Akins, who graduated from Auburn with a degree in sports management, is the son of Phyllis Freeman and Howard Stephens. At Auburn, he was also an indoor All-American in the 4-by-400 meter relay.
Doctor Larry Clark, who was Akins track coach at BHS, described him as an outstanding competitor who always gave a 100-percent effort on the track and the football field.
“Ty was not only an outstanding hurdler, he was an outstanding sprinter as well and you could always counted on him to come through when it counted most,” Clark said. “He is also a high-character young man. I could not be prouder of him. He was a pleasure to coach and I am so happy that he is able to continue to compete so strongly around the world with the Doyle Management professional track group. When he has the chance, he goes back to work with Auburn head track coach Ralph Spry.”
Akins is just one of the many outstanding track performers that Clark, who is a member of the first class of the Decatur County Sports Hall of Fame, coached at BHS.