View source for Natasha Hastings

{{short description|American track and field sprinter}}
{{about|the American sprinter|the British writer|Natasha Hastings (writer)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Natasha Hastings
| image = Natasha Hastings by Augustas Didzgalvis (cropped).jpg
| caption = Hastings at the [[2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships]]
| nationality = American
| sport = [[Sprint (running)|Running]]
| event = [[100 metres]], [[200 metres]], [[400 metres]]
| collegeteam = [[University of South Carolina]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|7|23}}
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn, New York]]
| residence = [[Locust Grove, Georgia]]
| height = 5 ft 8 in
| weight = 135 lb
| partner(s) = William Gay (engaged)
| pb = '''100 m''': 11.24 s (Walnut, CA 2013)<br>'''200 m''': 22.57 s (Nassau 2016)<br>'''400 m''': 49.84 s (Indianapolis 2007)
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalOlympic}}
{{MedalGold|[[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]]|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2007 World Championships in Athletics|2007 Osaka]]|[[2007 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 World Championships in Athletics|2009 Berlin]]|[[2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2011 World Championships in Athletics|2011 Daegu]]|[[2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2013 World Championships in Athletics|2013 Moscow]]|[[2013 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2017 World Championships in Athletics|2017 London]]|[[2017 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2015 World Championships in Athletics|2015 Beijing]]|[[2015 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2010 Doha]]|[[2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2014 Sopot]]|[[2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2016 Portland]]|[[2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2012 Istanbul]]|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{MedalBronze|2012 Istanbul|[[2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[IAAF World Relays|World Relay Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2014 IAAF World Relays|2014 Nassau]]|[[2014 IAAF World Relays – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2015 IAAF World Relays|2015 Nassau]]|[[2015 IAAF World Relays – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2017 IAAF World Relays|2017 Nassau]]|[[2017 IAAF World Relays – Women's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Junior Championships in Athletics|World Junior Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics|2004 Grosseto]]|400 m}}
{{MedalGold|2004 Grosseto|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Junior Athletics Championships|Pan American Junior Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2003 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships|2003 Bridgetown]]|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{MedalGold|[[2005 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships|2005 Windsor]]|400 m}}
{{MedalGold|2005 Windsor|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Youth Championships in Athletics|World Youth Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics|2003 Sherbrooke]]|400 m}}
{{MedalGold|2003 Sherbrooke|Medley relay}}
}}

'''Natasha Monique Hastings''' (born July 23, 1986) is a retired American 400 meter track and field sprinter.

==Career==
Hastings began her track career at a very early age and made a first place win at the USATF Junior Olympics in the [[400 metres]] in the Youth Girls division.<ref name="TrackMom">{{cite web |title=TrackMom.com |url=http://trackmom.com/2010/01/14/natasha-hastings-a-story-started-in-her-youth/ |access-date=14 June 2010}}</ref> She attended [[A. Philip Randolph Campus High School]] in [[Harlem]], [[New York (state)|New York]],<ref>{{cite web |title=USATF |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Hastings_Natasha.asp}}</ref> where she was able to take her track and field interest to a more competitive level.

Hastings attended the [[University of South Carolina]] to work under [[Curtis Frye]].<ref>http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/hastings_natasha00.html {{Dead link|date=August 2022}}</ref> There, Hastings started to become known as "the 400M Diva" after accidentally describing the ladies track team as the "Gamecock Divas" in honor of the school's mascot,<ref>{{cite web |title=The State Newspaper |url=http://www.gogamecocks.com/2011/05/02/109816/ggf-gold-medal-drives-gamecock.html |access-date=2 May 2011}}</ref> the Gamecock. After coming back from a key injury, 2007 was considered Hastings' breakout year. Hastings went home to New York for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and won the 400 m race in 51.70, a personal record at the time, and anchored the 4 × 400 m to a win with the fastest collegiate time for the year. Also in 2007, she won the SEC Championships by running a 50.84. Hastings went on to win the NCAA Championship title and her time in the 400 m at 50.15 was the second fastest time ever on the collegiate level and she had successfully competed undefeated all season becoming the Indoor and Outdoor 400 m champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Player Bio-USATF |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Hastings_Natasha.asp |work=2003-2010}}</ref>

In 2008 at the age of 22, Hastings made the USA Olympic Track and Field Team.<ref>{{cite web |title=2008 NBC Olympics |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=179/bio/index.html}}</ref> She won an Olympic Gold Medal in the Women's 4 × 400 m relay team by running a 49.97 split in heat two at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]], where the United States won their heat in 3:22.45 with the team of [[Mary Wineberg]], [[Monique Henderson]], Hastings, and [[Sanya Richards-Ross]]. Hastings was replaced in the final by [[Allyson Felix]] as the U.S. won gold in 3:18.54. Athletes who run in the heats for medal-winning teams are awarded a medal.

In 2013 Hastings won the USATF 400 meters outdoor title in 49.94 on 22 June 2013,<ref>http://www.legacy.usatf.org/events/2013/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/track.aspx?EN=6&RN=3 {{Dead link|date=August 2022}}</ref> thus making the US Track and Field Team for the [[2013 World Championships in Athletics]] in Moscow, where she finished in fourth place.

In 2015 Hastings also made the US Track and Field Team for the [[2015 World Championships in Athletics]] in Beijing. She finished 5th in her semifinal and did not advance to the final. She was part of the 4 × 400 meters women team and they finished in second place for a silver medal.

In 2016, Natasha Hastings qualified for the [[2016 Rio Olympics]], finishing third in the US trials with a time of 50.17 seconds in the 400 m. In Rio, Hastings finished fourth in the final of the 400 m, running the race in 50.34 seconds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rio 2016 Women's 400 m |url=https://www.olympic.org/rio-2016/athletics/400m-women}}</ref>

At the 2016 Great North City Games in the UK, Hastings ran a personal best of 16.67 in a 150 m straight track race, finishing second.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3-cSdXh1og |title=YouTube |website=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

In 2017, Hastings won the 400 m at the [[Golden Gala]] meet in Rome, with a time of 50.52 seconds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rome Diamond League 2017 |url=https://m.axs.com/aries-merritt-and-natasha-hastings-win-gold-in-rome-s-diamond-league-s-119568}}</ref> She ran a season's best of 50.14 in the 400 m at the [[2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships]], finishing fourth.

At the end of the 2022 season Hastings announced her retirement from the sport in an Instagram post.<ref>{{cite web |title=Natasha Hastings, OLY |url=https://www.instagram.com/natashahastings/?hl=en}}</ref>

==Personal==
Hastings has a YouTube channel, which includes behind the scenes footage of her races, workouts, and preparation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hastings YouTube Channel |website=[[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUnr7MStPskyxIrCeqV7-4g/videos}}</ref> She also has a series of videos called "Tea Time", during which she talks about topics ranging from dating to mental preparation, often with friends and fellow athletes such as [[Michelle Carter (athlete)|Michelle Carter]]. She got engaged to former NFL cornerback, [[William Gay (cornerback)|William Gay]], on July 22, 2018, but the couple never married. They have one son together.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/01/sprinter-single-mom-natasha-hastings-an-olympic-delay-is-more-than-wait/ |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url-access=subscription |title=For sprinter and single mom Natasha Hastings, an Olympic delay is more than a wait |first1=Adam |last1=Kilgore|access-date=2020-11-24 |date=2020-04-10}}</ref>

She is the cousin of former [[Trinidad and Tobago national football team|Trinidad and Tobago]] goalkeeper [[Shaka Hislop]] and his brother [[Kona Hislop]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/world-championships-christine-ohuruogu-turns-on-the-afterburners-to-rocket-into-final-8756386.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/world-championships-christine-ohuruogu-turns-on-the-afterburners-to-rocket-into-final-8756386.html |archive-date=2022-06-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=World Championships: Christine Ohuruogu turns on the afterburners to rocket into final|work=The Independent|date=11 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{ cite web|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/shaka-hislop-ask-silly-question| title=Shaka Hislop: Ask A Silly Question|website=[[FourFourTwo]]|date=19 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{ cite web|url=https://newsday.co.tt/2018/04/23/shaka-donates-boots-to-tt-maestros/| title=Shaka donates boots to T&T Maestros|website=News Day|date=23 April 2018}}</ref>

Her mother, Joanne, was one of the [[United Kingdom]]'s top junior sprinters before she emigrated to the [[USA]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=45263 | title=Athlete Profile }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{USATF|Natasha-Hastings}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 4x400 m Women}}
{{Footer World Champions 4 x 400 m Women}}
{{Footer World Athletics U20 Champions women's 4x400 metres}}
{{Footer IAAF World Youth Champions 400 Metres Women}}
{{Footer IAAF World Youth Champions Medley Relay Women}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions 4x400m Relay Women}}
{{Footer US NC 400m Women}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 400m Women}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2016 Summer Olympics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hastings, Natasha}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American female sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:African-American track and field athletes]]
[[Category:American sportspeople of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:American sportspeople of Trinidad and Tobago descent]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:South Carolina Gamecocks women's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Olympic female sprinters]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportswomen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportswomen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:Diamond League winners]]