Obea Moore
Encyclopedia
Obea Moore was an outstanding American youth and high school track and field
athlete, known primarily for running the 400 metres
. He was expected to be the next great American quarter miler, to follow Michael Johnson
as Olympic champion.
Starting as an 8 year old, running for the Los Angeles Jets youth club under coach James Robinson, he went on to set still standing American youth records in the Midget division, the Youth Division and the Intermediate division, adding the 200 metres
record in the Intermediate division and was part of the 4x400 metres relay team in the Youth division.
Moore ran for John Muir High School in Pasadena, California
, though his mother arranged for him to continue to run under Robinson. His freshman year, his team won the CIF California State Meet
4x400 relay. In 1995, his sophomore year, Moore won the 400, beating future World Champion
, Tyree Washington
by a half a second. He was also second in the 200 and again anchored his team to winning the relay in remarkable come from behind fashion. see the race Later in the season, he represented the United States at the Pan American Junior Championships in Santiago, Chile
, where he set the still standing World Youth Record in the 400 metres at 45.14.
And the following year Moore won both the 400, 200 and anchored the relay to the state meet record. At major relay events around the country, including the Penn Relays
, Moore became a trackside legend as one of the best, a high school junior being clocked doing 45 second laps.
With high expectations of having a chance to be the first high school athlete to qualify for the Olympics in 20 years, Moore qualified for the United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
. Those dreams were dashed by a 7th place finish in the semi-finals, still a remarkable accomplishment for a high school Junior. Later in 1996, Moore won the World Junior Championships in Sydney
, Australia
under cool conditions. Moore expected many better things to come.
, but his SAT
and then ACT scores left him .1 point away from eligibility. In order to improve his academic standing Moore went first to Pasadena City College
, then Long Beach City College
. Further attempts took him across the continent to Morehouse College
where a depressed Moore spent his time in injury rehabilitation. His heart and aspirations were still in Southern California. He got into fights and was kicked out of school. The following year, Moore ended up at Life University
, an NAIA
college. After a successful and healthy fall training season, he entered the Pomona Pitzer Invitational, a tune up meet before the Mt. SAC Relays
. Facing serious competition from people with marks equivalent to Moore's high school junior accomplishments, Moore pulled out of the race at the last minute.
The psychological effects from this event led to a crushing stigma about high level racing. His girlfriend died, Moore began drinking, his academics suffered and Moore again became ineligible. He next moved to Wallace State Community College
where Moore regained eligibility and ran impressively in practice. But when he went to the first Indoor meet of the season again the psychological pressure got to him, scratching from the race 10 minutes before the gun. Moore eventually disappeared from the college. Back in California, Moore has made repeated starts at regaining form, seeking help from his youth coach Robinson and others. After showing flashes of his original brilliance come periods of disappearances.
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete, known primarily for running the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
. He was expected to be the next great American quarter miler, to follow Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
as Olympic champion.
Starting as an 8 year old, running for the Los Angeles Jets youth club under coach James Robinson, he went on to set still standing American youth records in the Midget division, the Youth Division and the Intermediate division, adding the 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
record in the Intermediate division and was part of the 4x400 metres relay team in the Youth division.
Moore ran for John Muir High School in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, though his mother arranged for him to continue to run under Robinson. His freshman year, his team won the CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
4x400 relay. In 1995, his sophomore year, Moore won the 400, beating future World Champion
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
, Tyree Washington
Tyree Washington
Tyree Washington is a retired American sprinter.He attended both La Sierra High School and San Bernardino Valley College....
by a half a second. He was also second in the 200 and again anchored his team to winning the relay in remarkable come from behind fashion. see the race Later in the season, he represented the United States at the Pan American Junior Championships in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, where he set the still standing World Youth Record in the 400 metres at 45.14.
And the following year Moore won both the 400, 200 and anchored the relay to the state meet record. At major relay events around the country, including the Penn Relays
Penn Relays
The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, Moore became a trackside legend as one of the best, a high school junior being clocked doing 45 second laps.
With high expectations of having a chance to be the first high school athlete to qualify for the Olympics in 20 years, Moore qualified for the United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
. Those dreams were dashed by a 7th place finish in the semi-finals, still a remarkable accomplishment for a high school Junior. Later in 1996, Moore won the World Junior Championships in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
under cool conditions. Moore expected many better things to come.
The bubble burst
Moore looked at 1997, his senior year of high school, as the chance to set records out of sight. Instead, he suffered a minor injury early in the season. Still focused on setting records, Moore ignored the problem and continued to press. Some have also suggested Moore lost focus and was involved in the gang activities of his lifelong friends, which Moore denies. But the effects of expectations and celebrity certainly were a factor on the 17 year old's life. After three months of abusing his body, he reached the point where he could barely walk, records and championships were out of the question. Moore aspired to go to nearby powerhouse University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, but his SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
and then ACT scores left him .1 point away from eligibility. In order to improve his academic standing Moore went first to Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...
, then Long Beach City College
Long Beach City College
Long Beach City College, established in 1927, is a community college located in Long Beach, California. It is divided into two campuses. The Liberal Arts Campus, known as LAC, is located in the residential community of the Lakewood Village section of Long Beach, on Carson Street west of Clark Avenue...
. Further attempts took him across the continent to Morehouse College
Morehouse College
Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States....
where a depressed Moore spent his time in injury rehabilitation. His heart and aspirations were still in Southern California. He got into fights and was kicked out of school. The following year, Moore ended up at Life University
Life University
Life University is located in Marietta, Georgia. It is best known for its doctorate degree program in chiropractic, but it also offers a number of undergraduate programs.- History :...
, an NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
college. After a successful and healthy fall training season, he entered the Pomona Pitzer Invitational, a tune up meet before the Mt. SAC Relays
Mt. SAC Relays
The Mt. SAC Relays are an annual track and field festival held primarily at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mt. San Antonio College campus in Walnut, California. The relays, held in April each year, were started by then track coach Hilmer Lodge in 1959. The meet attracts all levels and disciplines of...
. Facing serious competition from people with marks equivalent to Moore's high school junior accomplishments, Moore pulled out of the race at the last minute.
- "He couldn't go to the line," recalls then Life University head coach Mark Spino. "If he just was even around, people had such high expectations of him, it was hard for him to start anyplace and very hard for him to have intermediary goals."
The psychological effects from this event led to a crushing stigma about high level racing. His girlfriend died, Moore began drinking, his academics suffered and Moore again became ineligible. He next moved to Wallace State Community College
Wallace State Community College
Wallace State Community College is a community college located in Hanceville, Alabama. Wallace State offers a variety of associate's degrees. It is named for former Alabama governor George C. Wallace, who greatly expanded Alabama's community college system...
where Moore regained eligibility and ran impressively in practice. But when he went to the first Indoor meet of the season again the psychological pressure got to him, scratching from the race 10 minutes before the gun. Moore eventually disappeared from the college. Back in California, Moore has made repeated starts at regaining form, seeking help from his youth coach Robinson and others. After showing flashes of his original brilliance come periods of disappearances.
- "I'm just hoping and praying he does get the stability, because people all across the country are still pulling for him and want him to be successful," Robertson says. "I'm at a loss what to do. But I believe inside he's a great kid, he's always been a great kid, he's always done everything that I've asked him to do on the track, but he just got caught up with the wrong people and the wrong environment. And that's a tragedy. I believe his intentions are very, very true and he really wants to [come back], but like any addict he can't get past it.
- "One thing I know for sure, if he really wanted to, he could still be the greatest quartermiler in the world today — just off of talent. Every time I worked with him, what I did see was that the talent is still there. If he really worked and did what he needs to do, in my mind, there's still nobody better. All these guys I see going around the track today wouldn't have a chance of beating him if he really did what he was supposed to do."