July 30, 2007
Columbia, SC – South Carolina’s National Track Athlete of the Year Natasha Hastings, who announced earlier this summer that she would forego her senior year and turn professional, announced today she has signed with world record holder Michael Johnson’s Ultimate Performance. Hastings is currently training in Columbia for the World Championships in Japan (Aug. 24 – Sept 1).
Hastings will continue to train under Carolina head coach Curtis Frye and work to finish her degree in Exercise Science in the next year.
Since turning professional in late June Hastings has run in Europe twice, finishing third in both 400m races, and will run in Stockholm on August 7 prior to her departure for the World Championships where she will run the individual 400m and as a member of the USA’s 4x400m relay pool.
“The biggest selling point for me was when we first talked and the plans I set for myself as a professional he had already had that in mind without me saying anything so I felt we were already on the same page without having to explain myself to him,” said Hastings, a three-time NCAA champion and 11-time All-American. “The agent and mentor part goes hand in hand because he is Michael Johnson – `been there and done that’. I can call him for advice when I need to. As an agent he is working to get me the best deal possible so I don’t have to worry about anything, but training and finishing my degree. He can help me get to the level I want to as the face of a product, a shoe company or speaking to a group – he can help me continue to move in a positive direction.
“When I used to watch track I thought he was so serious and just about business. When we are sitting just talking, he is laid back and an every day person like everyone else. I really enjoy being around him,” said Hastings.
Hastings, a member of the South Carolina Honors College, was named the 2007 National Athlete of the Year and the 2007 SEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year. Last weekend she set the collegiate record in the 400m when she won the silver medal at the USA Championships (49.84). She won the NCAA indoor and outdoor 400m titles this year, setting the indoor collegiate record (50.80) and helped USC to the NCAA indoor 4x400m relay title and a runner-up finish outdoors. She won the 200m and 400m at the NCAA East Region meet, setting the region record in both.
“We were attracted to Natasha because of her confidence in her ability and her determination to be the best she can be,” said Johnson. “Natasha is very intelligent and makes good decisions. Many times it is underestimated how important this is in an athlete’s development and in the transition from collegiate athlete to professional athlete. I look forward to helping Natasha not only accomplish her goals on the track but to helping her to create opportunities off the track as well.”
Johnson, although retired, is the world record holder at 200m and 400m and is a five-time Olympic gold medalist and still known as the Fastest Man in the World from his world record setting performance at 200m during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Johnson’s company, Ultimate Performance, started in 2004, counts Olympic and World Champion Jeremy Wariner among its clients. His Michael Johnson Performance trains some of the world’s top Olympic and professional athletes from around the NFL.
