'Diva' Hastings ready for spotlight in 400

EUGENE, Ore. -- One Hastings (Amy in Friday night's 10,000 meters) has already won her event at the USA Olympic track and field trials.

So why not another?

It's an idea Natasha Hastings embraces.

With all her heart and all her soul. It's all within reach.

The 25-year-old Brooklyn product is already an Olympic Games gold medalist. She won it running the third leg (a quick 49.87) on the U.S. 4 x 400 relay team in the first round of the 2008 Beijing Games -- and when the Americans (with a revised lineup) won the final, it gave gold-medal status to Hastings, too.

Now she's intent on doing better in a second trip to the Games.

She figures to clinch her ticket to the London Olympic Games in Sunday night's final of the women's 400. A clocking of 51.88 in the semifinals of the 400 Saturday was a good-but-not-all-out performance.

Top choices in the women's 400 final remain Francena McCorory (50.55 Saturday) and Sanya Richards-Ross (50.81.).

"Anything can happen at this stage," Hastings said. "Nobody's unbeatable."

The top three get to run the individual 400 in London. Others will be added for 4 x 400 relay duty.

Hastings is a graduate of Manhattan's A. Philip Randolph Campus who went on win the 2004 World Junior title, and then a pair of NCAA crowns for the University of South Carolina.

The media loves her.

In ESPN the Magazine's Body Issue, she bared it all (except for a pair of Nike spiked shoes) in a stunning starting-blocks pose. She's told ESPN interviewers: "I'm a girly girl. I put on eyelashes and a full face of makeup when I go out to a track meet. That's just me and I'm having fun with it."

At a past Penn Relays, she earned the title "400-Meter Diva."

When she said "the girls on my (South Carolina relay) team just look like divas," the four became "the Gamecock divas" and the nickname would stick. And best of all on their anchor runner.

Hastings has endured an assortment of injuries to get this far, but declares herself in top shape.

The "diva" is ready for prime time.