Natasha Hastings running at the Armory (© Kirby Lee)
It was a joyous homecoming for 2004 World Junior women’s 400m champion Natasha Hastings in the New Balance College Invitational at the Armory Track & Field Center on Saturday (3), while for 2002 World Junior High Jump winner Andra Manson, this fixture is almost like home.
Hastings, a New York native, won the women’s 400m in a world-leading 51.70 and had a 51.2 anchor to help South Carolina’s to a come-from-behind victory over LSU in the 4x400m relay in a meet and Armory record-time of 3:30.95.
Manson won the High Jump for the fourth year in a row with a personal-best 2.30m to break his Armory and meet record of 2.29m. The mark moved Manson into a tie for the yearly NCAA lead.
South Carolina junior Hastings and Texas senior Manson were named the Athletes of the Meet, their U.S. collegiate leading performances the highlight of the final day of the two-day meeting.
Hastings glad to be back in NYC
The 20-year-old Hastings, the 2004 World Junior and 2003 World Youth champion was raised in Queens and attended A.P. Randolph High in Harlem. She first competed at the Armory at age 9.
“When I was standing on the line and hear people go crazy when they announce your name gives you a great feeling,” Hastings said. “I love it here. There is nothing like coming to the Armory because this is home for me.’’
Hastings’ first two years at South Carolina have been plagued by injuries, including quadriceps pulls, back problems and bursitis in her right ankle.
“I had a little bit of everything but I am healthy now so let’s stay away from that,” Hastings said as she smile and crossed her fingers.
Her fitness was evident at the New Balance meet. In the preliminaries on Friday, Hastings ran a controlled 52.12 for the top qualifying time. In the final, Hastings led coming off the first turn on the 200-yard oval for an unchallenged victory over defending NCAA outdoor Champion Clora Williams of Texas A&M (53.60) in an Indoor PB.
“Everything that I worked for since the day I was nine is paying off now. I am healthy and going strong,” Hastings said. “I really wanted to push the first 60m really hard and get to the break first. The break to the 150 has been my weak spot so I really wanted to focus on what I came through at.’’
Impressive season debut for Manson
Manson’s performance in his season-opener at the Armory gives him optimism about clearing 2.34m or better before the season is through. The 2004 Indoor and outdoor NCAA champion took three attempts at 2.34m after his meet record 2.30m.
“The first attempt at (2.34m), I felt really good pushing up,” said Manson, who will compete in the Tyson Invitational on 10 Feb. “I am just going to work on a little touching up.’’
Texas and Texas A&M Women win titles
Texas won the men’s team title with 68.5 points, boosted by Manson and Leonel Manzano, who ran 3:59.08 for the top college time in the nation. LSU was second with 50 and Tennessee was third with 50.
The Texas A&M women, the early favorites for the NCAA outdoor title under former LSU coach Pat Henry, won the women’s title with 86 points over LSU (70.5) and Arkansas (69).
More Highlights
New collegiate-leading marks were also turned in Gordon by Ricardo Chambers of Florida State in the 400m at 46.23 and by Greg Bolden of Florida State in the 60m at 6.61 after a false start by Seminole teammate Walter Dix.
It was a busy meet for Yvette Lewis of Hampton, who defended her Triple Jump title (13.49m), won the Long jump (6.26m), placed second in the 60m Hurdles (8.27), clocked 7.55 in the 60m prelims and anchored the 4x400m Relay.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
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