June 23, 2007
The fastest time EVER run by a collegiate 400m runner now belongs to University of South Carolina junior Natasha Hastings. Hastings ran 49.84 to win the silver medal at the USA Track and Field Championships and earn a berth on the USA World Championship team in the 400m and with the 4x400m relay. The USA Championships run through Sunday and the meet will be shown live the following days and times: Sat., June 23 -7 pm on ESPN2 and Sun., June 24 – 1 pm on NBC. The USA Championships include both college and professional runners.
Hastings’ time of 49.84 breaks the previous record set by 2004 Olympic Trials 400m runner-up Sanya Richards who ran a 49.89. In the USA final Hastings was only bested by Dee Dee Trotter who ran a 49.64 – the fastest time in the world this year. Last year’s world champion, Richards, ran a distant 50.68 to finish fourth.
Can you believe it?: “No. Don’t ask me how I feel right now because I don’t know. It goes all the way back to when I was four or five and dreamed of running this fast. I’m on cloud nine! It’s reality now,” said Hastings. (did she know she was running 49?): “I knew it was fast when nobody else was around. I didn’t see Dee Dee until about 60 meters to go and then I just tried to hang onto my form.
What’s next? “I will go home, rest and start training again – the next stop is Oska,” said Hastings. “I am a bit overwhelmed. I feel like I put the perfect race together and maybe there is more. I am really happy because I have been through so much with my family, coaches – everyone, but I am so thankful. I thank God for everything today.”
“She executed the race plan perfectly. Instead of running the first 50 hard, last week we worked to have her attack the first 120 meters instead. Then at the 120 mark, she relaxed the next 120 meters and then at the 240m point – she was to run as fast as she could. Watching her race today we know she will be able to take it further. We brought it along slowly so she is ready when she needs to be and has something left later as well,” said Frye. “She was willing to do the extra work this year. She is such a smart, talented young lady and we were so proud of her.
“Natasha is now the fastest 400m runner I have ever coached – she made the commitment. I had Terrrence Trammell and Allen Johnson in the hurdles and now Natasha is in that same category in the 400m,” said Frye. “I hope all the Gamecocks are proud of our track teams – both current and former athletes.”
Freshman Brandi Cross was the runner-up in the junior 400m at 53.33 – gaining a berth on the USA’s Pan Am Junior Championship team. Cross was a member of USC’s NCAA indoor national champion 4x400m relay and won a gold medal at last year’s IAAF World Youth Championships in the same race.
“I didn’t give up. I’m proud of that. This silver medal feels like a gold medal right now after being injured this season,” said Cross.
“Brandi had a big adjustment this year coming from high school,” said Frye. “She has a big heart and the last two weeks she has really bought in. I’ve really been impressed with the things she has done the last few weeks. She is the type of person we want to keep recruiting: smart enough to follow instruction and tough enough to race well.”
Carolina signee Breehana Jacobs finished third in the same race, clocking a 53.41 to make the Pan Am Junior team.
Carolina signee Johnny Dutch, who was the junior 110m hurdles runner-up two days ago, ran a personal-best 50.07 and the fifth fastest time ever by a collegiate to finish as the runner-up in the 400m hurdles.
Freshman Krystal Cantey was fifth in her semi-final heat of the 400m hurdles with a time of 58.40 and finished 12th overall. Gamecock NCAA champion Tiffany Ross-Williams won her heat of the 400m hurdles at 54.84 – the fastest time of the day – and advanced to Sunday’s final. Former NCAA champion Tacita Bass finished fifth in her heat at 59.03 and did not advance.
Later, former Gamecock and two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell was third in the first round of his heat in the 110m hurdles, running a time of 13.78 to advance to Sunday’s semi-finals. Former All-American Mechelle Lewis the runner-up in her heat of the 200m at 23.91 and advanced to Sunday’s semi-finals. Former NCAA champion Miki Barber won her heat at 22.73 in the 200m and also advanced.
USC graduate Leroy Dixon was sixth in his heat of the 200m at 21.46 and did not advance. Former All-American Rodney Martin won his heat of the 200m to advance to the semi-finals with a time of 20.79.
