Written by: Gabe MooreMy name is Gabe Moore from Freeport, Florida and I am a student athlete here at the University of Arkansas. I have been blessed to receive a scholarship from the Alumni Association. I cannot say how grateful I am to the university’s wonderful program. Along with the Alumni Association scholarship, I also received a track and field scholarship. Being part of the best track and field program in the nation is an honor!
I did not start out my sports career doing track, however. I loved football and basketball all through elementary and middle school. Finally getting to high school, my PE coach and a really strong role model of mine, asked me to do track (as he was the track coach there.) I decided to give it a try. My freshman year I placed fifth at state in the high jump. The next year, while still playing basketball and football, I placed second at the state meet with a jump of 6’6 and I also made the finals in the 400 meter dash. Soon after that, my coach brought up something I’ll never forget. He said, “You know what? You should try the decathlon.” Ever since then I have been in love with the event.
For those of you who do not know the event, here is a rundown. It lasts two days and has five events each day. Each event has a point scale. The higher you jump, the farther you throw, and the faster you run, the more points you get. The first day has the 100 meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, and the 400 meter dash. The second day has the 110 meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and the 1500 meter run. It is very tough but it’s rewarding. That summer I competed in a few decathlons around the country. I ended up getting second at nationals. The next year I gave up basketball to do indoor track. It paid off when I got third at nationals in New York City. That summer of my junior year I had the biggest meet I had ever been in. It was the trials to make the USA World Youth team for athletes age 17 and under. I was blessed to have a great meet and I made the team. I competed in Donetsk, Ukraine representing the red, white, and blue about a month later. I finished 6th in the world.
After that successful summer I stopped football also and focused solely on track. Not too long after senior year started, I received an offer from The Razorbacks to run track here next year. I accepted without even a stutter. Last summer, going into my freshman year here, the stage was set for an even bigger meet and bigger stakes than I had seen the year before. I was about to try to make the USA World Junior team for athletes age 19 and under. Being 18, I was a youngster but I didn’t mind. I once again was blessed tremendously and fortunate enough to make the team. The world meet was held in the US that summer, so I could wear my country’s flag in front of my “home crowd” so to say. I set a new personal record at the world meet with 7619 points and finished 8th in the world. This was the 2nd ranked score for an 18 year old in the world.
God blessed me tremendously with all of these great accomplishments and I hope to have many more great experiences here at Arkansas. Thank you again to the Alumni Association and your generosity. Go Hogs!
