Iowa City West star Moustafa Tiea: A promise fulfilled, and potential realized

IOWA CITY — Moustafa Tiea was 9 years old when he made a vow to his mother.

“We’re not a family that comes from a lot (of wealth),” Tiea said Tuesday, after track practice at West High School.

“I told her then that I promised that she wouldn’t have to pay for my college.”

Promise kept.

One of the best middle-distance runners in Iowa high school history, Tiea has a scholarship waiting at the University of South Carolina.

Before he departs to the SEC, he wants to leave a mark back home.

How about sub-1:50 in the 800 meters?

That’s never been done in Iowa, and Friday afternoon at the Drake Relays would be the perfect time and place to do it.

“I absolutely think he is the one that’s most capable of going under 1:50,” West boys’ track and field coach T.J. Craig said. “It’s going to be a great race.

“I think the winner goes under 1:50. It’s too good of a field, too good of a situation.”

Tiea came close at a home meet April 13, blazing to a 1:50.40 clocking, which ranks No. 3 all-time in Iowa.

The all-time Iowa best is 1:50.18, set by Mid-Prairie’s Aaron Stockstell in 2007.

“Moose can go out at 53 or 54, then have the guts to finish the race,” West distance coach Chris Murdock said. “He’s got to execute that first lap, then get to 600 in striking distance.”

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Tiea is long (6 feet, 2 1/2 inches), lean (134 pounds) and stronger than you would guess. His dead lift, he said, surpasses 300 pounds.

Makes sense. This is a kid who has carried a lot.

Moustafa’s father, Huzafa Hamdu, died last year in Sudan.

“It was devastating,” Tiea said. “We don’t know for sure, but I think it was the (Sudanese civil) war that killed him.”

Those who know Tiea best describe him as exceedingly polite, soft-hearted, soulful and sensitive.

He’s a pleaser, he acknowledges.

“Especially for my family,” he said. “I was taught to love everybody. Forgive and forget, is what they always say. I want to make everybody my best friend.”

Judging by his election as West’s student body president, he is well-liked and well-respected.

“Highly involved and loved by his team and his school,” Craig said.

Still, kids are kids, and kids sometimes make mistakes. He made one, and learned a lesson, at the 2023 state track meet.

Anchoring the Trojans’ distance medley relay, Tiea moved into the lead in the final straightaway, sticking out his tongue as he passed the leader.

As Tiea and his teammates celebrated the victory, Craig was summoned to Section O, which generally is a prelude to disqualification.

“My heart dropped,” Tiea said at the time.

Craig recalled, “The official pulled me aside and looked me in the eyes and told me that it could have been perceived as taunting, but that they weren’t going to disqualify us. He said that some moments were bigger than the situation, and that he wanted to tell Moustafa, face to face.”

And he did.

“The official told me I have a great future, and don’t let something like this ruin it,” Tiea said. “I felt so bad.”

That “great future” has been realized.

“He’s running free and very confident. That’s when you get the best of both worlds,” Murdock said. “It’s fun to see somebody run with so much joy and excitement.”

Tiea’s likely Drake program consists of the distance medley relay (West is seeded No. 2) at 10:04 Friday morning, then it’s the 800 at 1:53 Friday afternoon.

He’ll run on the Trojans’ 4x800 relay at 10:59 Saturday morning; his status on the 4x400 (prelims are Friday night, final Saturday afternoon) is to be determined.

“The neat thing is that he is blessed to be in so many events,” Craig said. “And the hard part is that he is blessed to be in so many events.”

The 800 is Tiea’s sweet spot. At least, it’s close.

“If I could come up with a fake event, it would probably be the 650,” he said. “I ran a 600 in 1:20 during a workout.”

That’s a typical Tiea response. Ask him a question, prepare for an unexpected answer.

On his post-running life:

“I want to be working a stable job. I want to be a meteorologist. I love the weather. I love the clouds. I have 10 weather apps on my phone.”

On his pre-race diet:

“A lot of sugar and carbs. Usually, it’s pasta and a bag of Twizzlers.”

Any hobbies?

“I just picked up juggling. I just got to the point that I can juggle four balls at once.”

When Tiea ran 1:50.40 two weeks ago, he was challenged the whole way by Des Moines Christian’s Caleb Ten Pas, who ran 1:51.51.

Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman, the defending Drake 800 champion, will contend. Several others could, as well.

“A lot of really good runners,” Tiea said. “Sometimes I can get in my own head, with pressure and expectations. So the person I’m most worried about is myself.”

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Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com