Hunter Woodhall saw his wife become Olympic champion in Paris. Now it’s his turn to win gold at the Paralympics

CNN
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US sprinter Hunter Woodhall doesn’t have to look far for inspiration for this year’s Paralympic Games.

The 25-year-old has the chance to win his first Paralympic gold medal in the Class 62 400m, having watched his wife Tara Davis-Woodhall become Olympic long jump champion just two weeks ago.

Woodhall had travelled to watch his partner compete in the French capital and was the first to celebrate with her when she won the gold medal – the couple embraced emotionally as she jumped into his arms outside the stadium.

“It was unbelievable, so unreal. I’m so proud. I’ve never wanted something so much for someone else,” Woodhall told CNN Sport before flying to Paris.

“We’ve tried to do the right thing every day this year. That’s what we train for. There are no guarantees in sport, in athletics anything can happen. When things actually go the way you imagined and you experience that moment of relief, it’s unreal. It was a very special moment.”

The couple met at a high school track and field competition in 2017 and married five years later.

Over the years they have formed a formidable partnership both on and off the track, pushing each other to heights neither thought possible.

They now spend almost every minute together, whether training on the track or in the gym, eating practically the same diet or working on expanding their already enormous social media presence – the couple has over 866,000 YouTube subscribers to their channel, which covers their sporting careers and their relationship.

While Davis-Woodhall has now reached her highest potential by winning an Olympic gold medal, it is up to Woodhall to repeat her feat this week.

The Paralympics in Paris will be the sprinters’ third; in 2016 they celebrated their first world success.

As a teenager, he won a bronze and a silver medal at the Rio Games and then took another bronze in Tokyo. However, the gold medal has so far eluded him.

“That’s the goal,” added Woodhall, who recently recovered from Covid-19 before traveling to France.

“I’ve been more consistent than ever before. I’ve been more focused than ever before. And I’m running better than ever before. I’m fitter than ever before.”

“You know, I can’t control what other people do, but I can make sure that I go out there and do my best and do exactly what I can.”

Woodhall finished sixth in the T64 100m in Paris on Monday with a time of 10.96 seconds. Sherman Isidro Guity of Costa Rica took gold with a Paralympic record of 10.65 seconds, while Maxcel Amo Manu of Italy and Felix Streng of Germany took silver and bronze respectively.

Like all Paralympians competing in Paris this year, Woodhall’s path has not been a straightforward one.

He was born with a fused right ankle and a condition called fibular hemimelia affecting his left leg. Shortly before his first birthday, both of his legs had to be amputated from the knee down.

The procedure not only changed Woodhall’s life, but also enabled him to receive prosthetic legs, even though some claimed he would never walk again.

Because his father was in the Air Force, Woodhall and his two older brothers were initially home-schooled, but his parents always emphasized the importance of physical activity.

This meant that Woodhall spent his early years chasing after his brothers and trying his hand at various sports. It was, he said, a “great environment to grow up in.”

But when Woodhall started attending public school in fifth grade, his life became a little more difficult. There, he realized his differences and initially struggled with bullying from other children.

Searching for a place where he could feel comfortable, he eventually found track and field. Unlike other sports where coaches were sometimes nervous about letting him play, track and field allowed Woodhall to express himself.

“I was the only one fighting against the clock and that gave me peace and excitement. Now it’s up to me to get a little better,” he said, admitting it took a while for his talent to emerge.

“I kind of fell in love with the process and it took a while. From seventh grade to my sophomore year of high school, I was not impressive in any way on the track.

“But all those years of dedication and making small changes to get a little better every year have definitely paid off. They’ve brought me to where I am now.”

Not only is Woodhall now one of the best para-sprinters in the world, he is also one of the faces of this year’s Games and wants to use his fame to promote the Paralympics.

For some, the increased popularity would bring unwanted additional pressure, but Woodhall is just happy to be able to help bring more attention to the sport.

After helping his wife prepare for and compete in the Paris Games last month, Woodhall may have a secret weapon up his sleeve for this year’s Paralympics.

He said he used his time in Europe to analyse how long it took his body to adjust to the different time zones – which he said was a huge advantage when planning his own preparation.

During his time in France, he was also able to familiarize himself with the Stade de France, an arena where he hopes to win gold later this week.

“I think the visualization was great. Just seeing how everything works, seeing the stadium, the practice track, everything. I got to see it up close and personal,” he added.

After failing in the 100m final, Woodhall hopes to win his first Paralympic gold medal in the 400m later this week, with the final taking place on September 6.

Regardless of whether he wins the elusive gold or not, the American is simply happy to have the chance to live out a seemingly impossible dream.