Sonia Gaskin

{{short description|Barbadian middle-distance runner}} {{Infobox athlete | name = Sonia Gaskin | image = | image_size =  | caption = | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|10|4}} | birth_place = | height = | weight = | sport = Athletics | event = 800 metres | education = Kansas State University<ref>{{cite web |title=College bio |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2940 |accessdate=23 August 2019}}</ref> | collegeteam = Kansas State Wildcats | show-medals = | medaltemplates = }} '''Sonia Gaskin''' (born 4 October 1994) is a Bajan middle-distance runner specialising in the 800 metres.<ref>{{World Athletics}}</ref> She won a bronze medal at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. In addition, she won multiple medals in regional age group competitions.<ref>{{Athletics Podium|31040}}</ref>

==Career== Gaskin attended Parkinson Memorial Secondary School. In 2012, she became the first female athlete to win the 400 metres, 800 m, 1500 metres, and 3000 metres at the Barbados Secondary Schools Athletics Championships.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationnews.com/2012/04/02/talk-back-readers-show-great-love-for-sonia/#|title=TALK BACK: Readers show great love for Sonia|website=nationnews.com}}</ref>

Gaskin was an All-American runner for the Kansas State Wildcats track and field team under their coach Mike Smith, finishing 7th in the 800 m at the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.<ref name="800 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships">{{cite web |url=https://www.ustfccca.org/records-lists/meet-history-by-event?gender=2&series=3369&event=6 |title=800 meters at the NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships |website=USTFCCCA |access-date=28 December 2024}}</ref>

Gaskin is the Bajan record-holder over 1500 metres.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://barbadosweekly.com/four-barbadian-athletes-headed-to-nacac/|title=Four Barbadian Athletes headed to NACAC|website=barbadosweekly.com}}</ref> She continued to be coached by Mike Smith after he left Kansas State.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://goarmywestpoint.com/staff-directory/Mike-Smith/221|title=Mike Smith|website=goarmywestpoint.com}}</ref>

Gaskin also competed for the York University track and field club in Ontario, Canada under their coach Raymond Rudder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://athletics.ca/athlete/sonia-gaskin/|title=Sonia Gaskin {{!}} Athletics Canada|website=athletics.ca}}</ref>

==Personal life== Gaskin is a Chrisitan. She wanted to be a paediatrician, and aimed to use track and field scholarships to enter that field.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationnews.com/2012/03/30/star-girl-gaskin/|title=Star girl Gaskin|website=nationnews.com}}</ref>

==International competitions== {| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{BAR}} |- |rowspan=3|2009 |rowspan=3|CARIFTA Games (U17) |rowspan=3|Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia |6th |400 m |56.52 |- |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |800 m |2:13.80 |- |4th |4 × 400 m relay |3:53.34 |- |rowspan=3|2010 |CARIFTA Games (U17) |George Town, Cayman Islands |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |800 m |2:13.60 |- |rowspan=2|Central American and Caribbean<br>Junior Championships (U17) |rowspan=2|Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |4th |400 m |56.60 |- |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |800 m |2:14.42 |- |rowspan=5|2011 |rowspan=2|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=2|Montego Bay, Jamaica |bgcolor=silver|2nd |800 m |2:11.69 |- |7th |1500 m |4:58.11 |- |World Youth Championships |Lille, France |32nd (h) |800 m |2:14.66 |- |Pan American Junior Championships |Miramar, United States |6th |800 m |2:14.41 |- |Commonwealth Youth Games |Douglas, Isle of Man |7th (h) |800 m |2:19.10 |- |rowspan=4|2012 |rowspan=3|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=3|Hamilton, Bermuda |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |800 m |2:14.54 |- |5th |1500 m |4:58.42 |- |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |4 × 400 m relay |3:50.54 |- |Central American and Caribbean<br>Junior Championships (U20) |San Salvador, El Salvador |6th |800 m |2:10.88 |- |rowspan=2|2013 |rowspan=2|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=2|Nassau, Bahamas |bgcolor=silver|2nd |800 m |2:06.84 |- |bgcolor=silver|2nd |4 × 400 m relay |3:41.89 |- |rowspan=2|2015 |Pan American Games |Toronto, Canada |12th (h) |800 m |2:09.01 |- |NACAC Championships |San José, Costa Rica |8th |800 m |2:10.86 |- |rowspan=2|2016 |rowspan=2|NACAC U23 Championships |rowspan=2|San Salvador, El Salvador |7th |400 m |54.86 |- |7th |800 m |2:10.63 |- |rowspan=2|2018 |Central American and Caribbean Games |Barranquilla, Colombia |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |800 m |2:03.13 |- |NACAC Championships |Toronto, Canada |9th |800 m |2:06.54 |- |2019 |Pan American Games |Lima, Peru |8th |800 m |2:05.68 |- |2022 |NACAC Championships |Freeport, Bahamas |7th |800 m |2:07.35 |- |rowspan=2|2023 |Central American and Caribbean Games |San Salvador, El Salvador |4th |800 m |2:05.50 |- |Pan American Games |Santiago, Chile |9th (h) |800 m |2:08.14 |}

==Personal bests== '''Outdoor''' *400 metres – 52.72 (Lubbock 2014) *800 metres – 2:02.60 (Toronto 2019) *1500 metres – 4:26.37 (Toronto 2019)

'''Indoor''' *400 metres – 54.67 (Albuquerque 2014) *800 metres – 2:07.80 (Fayetteville 2015) *1000 metres – 2:50.99 (Toronto 2019)

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaskin, Sonia}} Category:1994 births Category:Living people Category:Barbadian women middle-distance runners Category:Pan American Games athletes for Barbados Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2015 Pan American Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2019 Pan American Games Category:Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in athletics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2023 Pan American Games Category:Kansas State Wildcats women's track and field athletes Category:Canadian women middle-distance runners Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games