Love fairytale of Olympic champ Tara Davis and Paralympian husband

By Hoang Trang   August 19, 2024 | 03:48 am PT
Paris Olympics long jump champion Tara Davis and her Paralympic athlete husband Hunter Woodhall share a love fairytale as they went from high school sweethearts to national heroes.

Woodhall was born with fibula deficiency and had to have his legs amputated when he was 11 months old. Born in Georgia, Woodhall moved several times during his childhood before settling in Utah. He soon showed early talent in track and field and at a tournament in Idaho in 2017, he met Davis.

Woodhall said he had his eyes on Davis from that moment and told his friends that she would be the love of his life. After the competition, Davis approached Woodhall and gave him a hug as he finished the race. The two continued to stay in touch on social media and started dating in June 2017, USA Today reported.

Tara Davis and her husband Hunter Woodhall on the track. Photo by Instagram/@_taara_

Tara Davis and her husband Hunter Woodhall on the track. Photo by Instagram/@_taara_

On their first official date, Woodhall drove two hours to California where Davis was training. They went public with their relationship just a month later. Their relationship was long-distance as Woodhall enrolled at the University of Arkansas and Davis went to the University of Georgia, an 11-hour drive apart. In an interview with Elle in 2021, Woodhall said that the two maintained their love through communication, trust and patience. Davis said that there were times that they argued but both learned their lessons and became more mature in love.

In the summer of 2021, they both went to Tokyo to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics. Davis placed sixth in the Olympic long jump event while Woodhall won a bronze in the 400m run at the Paralympics. This was Davis's first Olympics and Woodhall's second Paralympics. He won a bronze and a silver at Rio 2016.

A month after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ended, the couple took a romantic vacation to Mexico where Woodhall proposed to Davis. The couple tied the knot in October 2022 at a vineyard in Texas, People reported.

Davis and Woodhall get married in October 2022. Photo by Instagram/@_taara_

Tara Davis and Hunter Woodhall get married in October 2022. Photo by Instagram/@_taara_

Before Davis entered the Paris Olympic long jump final on Aug. 9, Woodhall posted a message to encourage his wife. After Davis won the long jump gold medal, she ran to the stands to embrace and kiss her husband. Woodhall cried while congratulating his wife.

"Babe, you're the Olympic champion!" he said to Davis as she jumped into his arms.

That moment of pure love and joy was captured on camera and quickly went viral on social media. Some commented that Woodhall was even happier than his wife, while people showed admiration for the couple.

Woodhall and Davis have returned to the U.S. but they will come back to France later this month when Woodhall participates in the Paralympics.

In addition to the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Davis is also the 2024 World Indoor Champion, the 2023 World Championship runner up and the 2015 World Junior Champion. Meanwhile, Woodhall won a double silver medal in the 100m and 400m at the World Championships in Kobe, Japan earlier this year.

 
 
go to top