Derrick Johnson has won six senior national weight lifting titles, eight American Open titles, and is a world team member—scoring the most points of any athlete in over 10 years for United States at the 2014 World Championships.  

In addition to competing and coaching professionally, Derrick founded The Kings of Weightlifting, a free, after-school, Olympic weightlifting program for underprivileged youth in the south central Los Angeles area.