Born into a family of track and field standouts, Tatum Moku carved out a niche of her own.
Breaking the state pole vault record as a junior at 13 feet, 1 inch, Moku didn’t settle. She also won gold in the long jump (18-0), 100-meter hurdles (15.58 seconds) and 300-meter hurdles (47.56). The vault broke Amber Kozaki’s mark of 13-0, set in 2013.
This spring, as a senior, Moku was in prime form again. She won the pole vault (12-6), long jump (18-05.75), 100 hurdles (14.39) and 300 hurdles (47.44). She also helped Kamehameha’s cause with a fourth-place finish in the 100 dash as a rare five-event performer.
She isn’t the only Moku in the record books. Older brother Tanner set the boys 300 hurdles mark (38.07) in 2019. Older sister Madison was an elite sprinter and hurdler at Hawaii Baptist. Their father, Sam, played football at the University of Hawaii and coached Kamehameha to track and field state titles in 2000, ’03 and ’05.
Tatum Moku is the first of her family voted to the Hall of Honor. Even after all her hard-earned success, getting the news was mind-blowing.
“I got the call during dinner with my parents from (Reydan) Tita Ahuna, who was a previous Hall of Honor athlete in 1984 and one of the greatest female athletes at Kamehameha. My first reaction was ‘Wow, it’s actually happening!’ I’m really appreciative and thankful for getting selected to be a part of the group of athletes in 2023,” Moku said.
With the cancellation of spring state championships during her freshman and sophomore years, so much was invested in her first state meet as a junior.
“My favorite memory is celebrating with my dad when I broke the state record. My dad has paved the way for me, and to celebrate that moment I worked so hard for was the best moment in my life,” she said.
It wasn’t so simple at the beginning.
“I grew up running track with the Runnin’ Renegades and I have so many memories of always coming in last in the 400-meter run my dad forced me to be in. I remember looking forward to eating shave ice after every meet and watching the older kids run,” Moku said.
A year after celebrating that record with her dad, it was over. She walked out of War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku. Finality.
“It was the bittersweet feeling of leaving War Memorial and officially completing my high school track career. Although I cried tears of joy, sadness, anger, pride and more, I remembered all it took to get here and how good it felt to leave it all on the track,” Moku said.
There was a difference between her junior and senior seasons other than numbers.
“Right after states in 2022, I made a vow to myself. It was to make sure that I don’t feel like I could’ve done more. This meant working harder than I ever did before, and making sacrifices. I also wanted to do it for my family and especially to make my dad proud,” she said. “My siblings paved the way for me and I just wanted to live up to the family name.”
Gymnastics, which she began when she was 6, played a part in her evolution as a track and field athlete.
“Pole vault was a natural progression because of gymnastics. I learned hurdles through my older siblings because they were great hurdlers. Long jump was just for fun and something I always did when I was little. I stuck with those events because I was good at them. Pole vault was a way to differentiate myself from Maddie and Tanner,” Moku said.
Along the way, Moku learned to have fun and trust in God.
“Things can get pretty overwhelming,” she said.
There’s only one regret.
“I wish I could have participated in more events,” Moku noted.
She will compete for Washington State next season. Her plan is to major in business. The life lessons of a childhood in sports are eternal.
“Good sportsmanship is something I’ve learned from my dad. Ever since I started competing when I was little, he told me to always congratulate everyone in the race no matter what the outcome was. It’s something that has stuck with me since,” Moku said. “I’m very competitive against myself, and when I don’t do well, I get very emotional. My coaches know me well enough to know what to say to get me to calm down.”
Moku’s gratitude is almost endless.
“I want to shout out Coach JP (Joseph Plencner) for taking me in as a sixth grader, coaching me and essentially creating my foundation in pole vault. Shout out to Coach Joel Flores, who also was so kind to take time out of his day to coach me as a middle schooler because I had nowhere to go. Thank you to Brother (Bernard) Samp at Damien for always believing in me. Thank you to Coach Kenny (Lum) and Isaiah (Montero) for always being so kind to me and supporting me. Mahalo to Coach T (Walter Thompson) for all the support. Mahalo to Coach Jordan (Oue) and Coach James (Oshiro) at Castle for sharing their track knowledge with me. Mahalo to Coach Kanoe and Coach Kayson. Mahalo to Duke Borengasser for being a great teammate and now coach,” Moku said.
“Huge mahalo to Coach Pili Kitashima for sticking with me and being the best coach for the past seven years. Mahalo to all the people who have supported me in everything I do. Biggest mahalo to my ohana for always showing up and cheering for me the loudest.”
The quest hasn’t ended, but her impact is powerful.
“I hope that I will be remembered for being not only a great athlete, but a great person. I also really hope I was an inspiration for the next generation of athletes,… especially the young Hawaiian girls to show that anything is possible as long as you work hard,” Moku said. “My goal is to be the first Native Hawaiian to go pole vault in the Olympics.”
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Hall of Honor inductees
>> Milan Ah Yat of University Lab and Pac-Five
>> Leonard Ah You of Kahuku
>> Elijah Dinkel of Kamehameha-Hawaii
>> Brock Fonoimoana of Kahuku
>> Taryn Irimata of Campbell
>> Liona Lefau of Kahuku
>> Solomone Malafu of Kapaa
>> Keala Montgomery of Lanai
>> Raya Nakao of Punahou
>> Zola O’Donnell of Mililani
>> Marley Roe of Kamehameha
