Hunter Woodhall went viral for being his wife’s biggest – and loudest – supporter as she won gold at the Paris Olympics in the women’s long jump event.
Team USA’s Tara Davis-Woodhall soared to Olympic glory on 8 August, and ran straight over to her husband in the crowd in one of the most heartwarming moments of the summer games.
“You’re the Olympic champion!” Woodhall shouted. “You did it!”
Pic: Reuters
The 25-year-old American is an athlete himself, and the track and field star will be hoping to emulate his wife’s success at the Paralympic Games.
Woodhall, who was born with fibular hemimelia and is a double amputee, is competing in the men’s 100-metre T64 and the 400-mere T62, which begin on Wednesday.
Athletes in T61-64 events are “competing with prosthesis affected by limb deficiency and leg length difference,” according to World Para Athletics.
Woodhall says watching his wife’s success has given him a boost going into the competition.
“I’m feeling really good, mentally and physically,” Woodhall told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News. “Watching Tara in Paris was a really great visualization. So I’m prepared.”
Hunter Woodhall at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Pic: Reuters
Woodhall at the World ParaAthletics Championships in London in 2017. Pic: Reuters
He will be looking for his first major gold, having won a silver in Rio in 2016 in the 200-metre T44, as well as a bronze in the 400-metre T44. In 2021, he took home another bronze from Tokyo in the 400-metre T62.
He and Woodhall-Davis met on the track when they were in high school, both aged 17, and married in October 2022 having dated long distance during university.
Woodhall puts much of the couple’s career success down to their relationship.
“There’s zero chance that we would be doing what we’re doing if we didn’t have each other,” he said. “For sure.”
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Reflecting on her husband’s support during the Olympics, Woodhall-Davis said: “He’s gone through it all with me.
“So just jumping into his arms, that was just a full relief of ‘wow, I finally achieved my goal’.”
They share a coach in Travis Geopfert, who told NBC News: “It’s a grind, it is It is hard to be that focused and that disciplined and that consistent.
“And I think that championship mindset is what makes athletes like Hunter and Tara elite.”
Just after she won, a reporter asked her how she would celebrate her win.
“I’ve got to go find my husband, we’ll have some tequila shots or something,” she told them.
The couple will be hoping more celebration shots are in order by the time the Paralympics concludes on 8 September.
