(Submitted photo)
By James Feichtner
A boy who loves to run. That is exactly the profile that fits incoming fifth grader William Moore-Oats. A student at Mt. Comfort Elementary, Moore-Oats is one of the few Indiana participants who will have the opportunity to run track & field in the National Junior Olympics.
Knowing the top five advance to the Junior Olympics, Moore-Oats placed a consistent fifth place in all three events at the regional USTF competition in Illinois. He told his mom before the events, “I got this. I got this.”
“He knew exactly what he needed to do to qualify, he knew how to compete. My goal for him in the Junior Olympics is just to achieve a new personal best,” William’s mother, Tonya Moore-Oats, said.
Football and basketball are his other passions, and it was running/conditioning for football that brought him to enjoy track. A friend of the family saw Moore-Oats’ speed and encouraged him to participate in track.
He won a silver medal in the United States Track & Field Chick-Fil-A 200 Classic in Noblesville, and also placed bronze in long-jump. Next, he qualified for the regional competition in Valparaiso with the 100 and the long-jump, and also received a silver medal in the 200.
Moore-Oats is planning on playing travel basketball for Mt. Vernon, and then run track for Mt. Vernon Middle School next year. Currently, he is in his first year running track for Indiana Storm Track & Field
Moore-Oats will compete in the Junior Olympics in Jacksonville, Fla. in the 100 meter, 200 meter and long-jump competition for nine and ten year-olds. The event will begin at 1:45 p.m. on July 29 and can be seen live on www.usatf.tv.
