There are few couples in the world who can decorate their home with Olympic and Paralympic medals. And certainly, none of them is as famous as Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall.
Less than a month after his wife Tara Davis-Woodhall won Olympic gold in the women’s long jump at Paris 2024, Hunter Woodhall will be aiming at bringing new items to their home collection at the Paralympic Games.
Woodhall has three medals to his name and will be competing in men’s 100m T64 and 400m T62 in the French capital.
Here is all you need to know about the Olympic-Paralympic power couple.
How did Hunter lose his legs?
Hunter Woodhall was born in Georgia, USA in 1999. He had fibular hemimelia, a condition that stops lower limbs from developing properly. Hunter had his first amputation operation when he was 11 months old and had both legs amputated to improve his quality of life, as doctors told his parents that he would never be able to walk.
He grew up in Syracuse, state of Utah, and participated in various sports wearing prosthetic legs. He was homeschooled until fifth grade and joined a public school in a moment in life when kids start paying attention to each other’s differences. In interviews, Hunter revealed he suffered with bullying and thanks to his family support he found his passion for running.
When did he take on Para athletics?
When Hunter was in junior high school, he joined his friends in the track team and immediately felt comfortable. At the age of 15 he made his international debut competing at the 2014 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Mesa, USA.
A year later he was already part of the United States Para track and field team going to the Doha 2015 World Para Athletics Championships in Qatar. Hunter picked a silver in the men’s 400m T44 and bronze in the men’s 200m T44.
In 2017, Hunter Woodhall received an NCAA Division I scholarship, becoming the first double amputee to do so in USA’s National Collegiate Athletic Association.
When was Hunter’s Paralympic Games debut?
Hunter competed in his first Paralympic Games at Rio 2016. He competed in three events, bringing home two medals, a silver in the men’s 200m T44 and a bronze in the 400m T44. He was also part of the USA men’s 4x100m T42-T47 relay team.
Paris 2024 will be Hunter’s third Games. Three years ago in Tokyo he won his third Paralympic medal, this time in the men’s 400m T62. He also competed in the men’s 100m T64.
In addition to his Paralympic medals, Hunter also has six World Championships medals to his name. Five silver, Kobe 2024 (100m T64, 400m T62); London 2017 (200m T43, 400m T43); Doha 2015 (400m T44); and one bronze, Doha 2015 (200m T44).
Watch below Hunter Woodhall pick his first Paralympic medal at Rio 2016
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How did Tara and Hunter meet?
The couple met for the first time at the Simplot Games indoor athletics meet in Idaho in 2017. Hunter says he was leaving the track after running the 400m when Tara walked onto the track and said, “I don’t know why, but I just feel like I need to give you a hug.”
After that, the two started to exchange messages on social media and months later they met again at the Arcadia Invitational meet. “That’s when we started talking, no stop,” Tara Davis-Woodhall said on a YouTube video they posted about how they met.
They continued in a long-distance relationship while both were competing for different universities. Hunter and Tara got married in 2022 and, today, you will hardly find an event where one of them is competing and the other is not there watching.
The couple went viral during the Olympic Games when Tara picked her first medal, winning long jump gold, and ran to her husband to celebrate.
“We bring a lot of diversity into our relationship, and we want to be really transparent about that. Tara is a woman of colour. I have a disability. We want people to know that whoever you are, whatever situation you’re in, it’s okay and that’s what makes you special and unique,” Hunter said in an interview in 2021.
When will Hunter be competing in Paris?
Hunter Woodhall will kick off his Paris 2024 participation on 1 September in the men’s 100m T64 heats. If he qualifies to the final, he will be back to the Stade de France track on 2 September in the final event of the evening session.
His other race in this year’s Paralympics will be the men’s 400m T62 on 6 September.
“I’m leaving Paris. It has been a crazy two weeks. If you’re watching the Olympics and bummed that the Olympics are over, I’ve got great news for you. The Paralympics are coming up. I’ll be back in two weeks,” he told his fans on social media after the Olympics closed on 11 August.
“There’s going to be so many incredible stories and athletes, so I really hope you guys watch (the Paralympics).”
You can find out where to watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games clicking here
