Moore won the 100 and 200 meter titles
at the Big Ten Championships (GoPSUSports.com) |
1. You had a tremendous season as a sophomore at Penn State last year which included All-American in the 100 meters. This is your third All-America honor after collecting the other two indoors. What are your goals heading into the 2002-03 collegiate seasons?
My goal for the upcoming season is simple: to be better than I was last season. I want to run faster, compete harder and be a bigger contender for the NCAA titles in the 100 and 200m dash.
2. Penn State has one of the best indoor facilities in the country. How much has that helped in your training and performance overall?
The indoor facility here at Penn State has played a huge role with my training and performance over the years. As a team, we are very fortunate to have a world class track to practice and compete on. It has prepared me very well for the indoor NCAA competition in Arkansas.
3. You also ended up placing 8th in the 200 meters and 15th in the 100 meters at the U.S. Senior National Championships this past summer. What was the experience like competing in Palo Alto with the nation's best?
My experience in Palo Alto last season was just that, an experience, a great experience nonetheless. I got a chance to line up against the best of the best in the nation. And I also got to line up against the 3-time Olympic gold medalist, Marion Jones, which was a joy in itself. Palo Alto helped me realize that I am better than I give myself credit for.
4. Everyone will be trying to knock you down this season after winning the 100 and 200 meter titles at the Big 10 Championships. Is it going to be harder this season to try and accomplish the same goal or easier now that you have already done it?
It won't be harder, but it will definitely be challenging. It was easier being an "underdog" and not having that pressure on you to defend your title. Now that I am the defending Big Ten Champion, my competitors know who I am and know what I can do, so I become the one that is being hunted versus being the hunter.
5. What made your decision in order to enroll at Penn State considering you grew up in Chicago, Illinois and does your family get to come out and watch you run?
I love Chicago very much, but I fell in love with Penn State when I came on my visit. Everyone here helped me feel welcome and made it feel like a home away from home. Then I found out that Laurie Fox would be attending, which made it easier for me to go through the transition phase from high school to college, because we met at the Junior Olympic meet out in Seattle. As for my family coming out to see me run, my mom and dad (Amanda and Leroy Moore) are like my biggest fans. They were at every meet I competed in and I love them for that.
Moore was an All-American in the 100 meters (CW Pack Sports) |
6. Has the healing process been better heading into this season with the tragic death of men's pole vaulter Kevin Dare?
The healing process is getting better because here at Penn State, we don't perceive Kevin as loss, we see it as a gain, the gain of an angel to watch over us as we all go out there and compete with our hearts as Kevin did every time he stepped on the runway.
7. If there was another sport that you could compete in besides track & field, what would it be?
Basketball. Definitely basketball. It was the first sport I really got into and I kind of taught myself how to play, so it carries some sentimental value to it. And if my high school coach would have made me the 800m runner that people thought I was, then I most likely would have ended up pursuing basketball instead of track.
8. What kind of weight training is involved in preparation for your season?
Very intense, powerful and more sprinted oriented weight training and that's all I can say about that...LOL
9. Will there ever be another woman to tie or break 10.49 seconds in the 100 meters again?
Definitely and Marion Jones will be the one to do it. She not only has the physical capability but the mental capability. She went to Sydney and walked away with 3 gold and 2 bronze medals and she said she that was what she wanted. Once Marion sets her mind on the world record she will get it.
10. Given your success already on the track, if your career had to end today, would you be satisfied with what you accomplished?
If my track career ended today I would be very proud of my accomplishments, but I would not be satisfied because there is so much more I want to do. I would like to have a NCAA title under my belt with a few Olympic appearances; then I could end my track career a happy woman.