It was an auspicious evening on June 25 when athletes whose names are etched in history gathered at the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) to celebrate their induction into the NYAC Hall of Fame. The nine athletes honored that evening all had extensive career accomplishments, including national championships, world championships and Olympic medals.
Among the honorees were close friends and teammates, shot putter Michelle Carter and sprinter Natasha Hastings.
“Michelle and I obviously had our separate journeys, but throughout the latter part of our careers we were Frick and Frack,” said Hastings, who won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and ’16 as a member of the 4×400 relay. “It’s funny when you think about how we made a junior team together in 2003 or ’04, and then we made several national teams together and then 2016 Games, of course. It was really nice being inducted with her.
They both trained in Texas (Hastings in Austin and Carter in Dallas) but it was understood if they were going to the same track meet they would be roommates. They’d eat their meals together and explore the cities together.
“The thing that was really special about our friendship throughout the years was that we held each other accountable,” said Hastings. “Those are the things that make real friends. Genuinely wanting the best for each other.”
Hastings was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Queens and attended high school in Harlem, so even though she hasn’t lived in New York City since she was 18, being associated with the NYAC as a competitive athlete made her feel like she was representing her hometown. She is deeply appreciative of the support the club provided as she pursued her Olympic dreams. Now a lifetime member, she intends to pay it forward.
“I look forward to being involved and helping with the future athletes and the athletes of now,” she said.
Speaking with the New York Amsterdam News several days after the NYAC Hall of Fame banquet, she was still feeling the joy. It was deeply meaningful that her son, mother, brother and extended family and friends were in attendance to cheer her on.
Today, Hastings works at her alma mater, University of South Carolina, where she is now a licensed professional counselor associate. She works with the university’s mental health and performance team, providing mental health services to student-athletes and teams.
“I see students for anxiety management, life transitions. A lot of students, their first year away from home is hard, or they’re transferring and going through the transition, and they just need someone to talk to,” Hastings said. “We also do some performance work where they feel like they’re having mental blocks or they’re suffering from performance anxiety.”
Her personal mission is to provide representation of Black women in the therapeutic space. “I want BIPOC, marginalized communities to see that we’re in the space,” Hastings said. “Someone who has the lived experiences in the shoes that they walk.”
Carter won Olympic gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the first and still only American woman to do so in the shot put. Today, she is a motivational speaker, who shares stories of overcoming challenges.
“As a young girl throwing a heavy metal ball, I never imagined one day looking at a room like this,” Carter said at the banquet. “To now be a part of NYAC’s incredible legacy, an institution that has long standing excellence, is both humbling and powerful.”
As a self-described girlie girl with a strong arm and a stronger lip gloss game, Carter expressed appreciation that the NYAC let her be her best authentic self. She said that you don’t just break records, you break barriers. Hastings noted that she and Carter would often share notes on cosmetics, and they appreciate that today’s track and field athletes feel more comfortable going with or without glam as it suits them.
“When I became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in shot put, I did it as me — lashes on, lips were popping and confidence turned all the way up,” Carter said. “You don’t have to change who you are to be successful; you just have to trust what God gave you to be. … I am able to share my story to help others see that [a] champion mindset isn’t just for sports — it’s for life, it’s for business, for school and for self-care. Showing up every day as your full, powerful self.”
The other 2025 inductees are Katie Meili (swimming), Curt Clausen (track and field), Katie Zaferes (triathlon), Kami Craig (water polo), Melissa Seidemann (water polo), John Mann (water polo) and Jesse Smith (water polo).