Gabe Moore calls his second place finish at the USA Championships in Sacramento "his biggest accomplishment ever". Moore (on the right with decathlon champion Harrison Williams) recently graduated from Freeport High School finished second in the decathlon and punched his ticket to the IAAFWorld Junior Championships July 5th-6th at historic Hayward Field in Eugene Oregon. He says the competition this weekend was simply amazing.
The first day was just the junior decathletes and heptathletes, so we didin't get to see the professional athletes, but it was awesome competing against the best decathletes in the nation. To compete against collegiate athletes and be able to beat them felt amazing. The competition was good for me. I was able to get some personal records in different events and I scored a lifetime best. There are still events I can improve on though. So I'm going to be working really hard before the world meet to get my marks up."
Moore, the 1A state champion in the long jump won that event as well as as the 100 meter dash (his highest scoring event) with new personal bests of 23'6" and 10.80. He also set a new personal best of 48.51 in the 400 meters. The University of Arkansas signee says over the next two weeks he will work on the field events; the shot put, discus, and javelin, as well as the 1500 meter run. The meet was one of the best competitions he's ever competed in with eight guys scoring over 7,000 point which he calls, "crazy". He tallied 7,594 points the most he's ever racked up, only 140 behind Williams. He says to be considered one of the best 19 year and old under athletes in the United States and make the world team is truly an honor.
"I made the World Youth team last year, but to make the World Junior team means the world to me. It lets me know that I have done all the right things in terms of preparation and hard work for this meet. Now. I just need to brush up on a few things so I can represent the United State on the world stage."