On February 20, Hunter Woodhall had a dilemma—one that went beyond just gold and ribbon. His first-ever Paralympic gold medal from Paris 2024 wasn’t perfect anymore. A small mistake led to a torn ribbon and the fix? It meant giving up the original medal that he stood on the podium with, the one that carried every ounce of sweat, pain, and victory. Would you trade history for a flawless replacement? The gold medalist was all confused and thus asked fans to weigh in. Hunter wrestled with the choice. But what was decided in the end? There is now no room for suspense! His wife, Tara, has now given an update!

Hunter Woodhall never meant to damage his Paralympic gold. Last year, he wrapped the ribbon tightly around it—a harmless habit until it wasn’t. The sharp edge of the medal wore down the fabric, and before he realized it, the ribbon was torn beyond repair. When he reached out for a fix, he was given a tough choice: remove the ribbon and damage the medal or replace it entirely. “…this is the one I stood on the podium with… what would you do?” he asked fans. The response was loud and clear—keep it. And so, he did. “Y’all are right… what’s it for without some character?” he posted last month on Instagram. And now, we have an update!

Hunter’s wife and fellow Olympian, Tara Davis-Woodhall, took a series of stories to Instagram and shared an emotional update. Hunter and Tara weren’t ready to let go of a medal that meant everything. So, they took it to a specialist, hoping for a way to save it. Every update, every small step—they shared it all with their fans. The first story had the medal with a torn ribbon lying on a white table with the caption, “Currently in surgery.” We must say that the couple never fails to satisfy us with their humor. Also, was it a comical reminder of Hunter’s appendix surgery, which took place just three days back?

Anyways, moving to the next story, we saw a sewing machine and someone operating it, while the caption read, “The tools being used.” And then in the third story, we could finally hear Tara in her enthusiastic voice saying, “Currently in surgery right now (laughing). We have done some cuts, some rims off (laughing).” And the couple wasn’t done yet! The next story was captioned, “He’s on the table,” while the medal lay down in the sewing machine in a room that looked like a sewing workshop. Oh boy! Finally, we saw Hunter Woodhall in the scene! Holding a tripod, he was recording his medal when Tara asked, “How’s your patient’s vitals?” The Paralympian, without missing a beat, replied, “He is doing alright!” Mind you, you cannot miss that big smile on his face, which went MIA on February 20.

And then, after what felt like a nerve-wracking wait, the fix was finally done. Hunter, holding it up, said, “Just out of surgery. Vitals are looking strong.” The torn ribbon was carefully stitched back together, holding onto every bit of its history. But the best part? The couple revealed the final touch. “This was our idea—to put a little ‘W’ right here,” Hunter said, tracing the stitch with his finger. Tara just said a big, loud, “Wowwwww.” And we are on the same page as her! A bold “W” was stitched right over the damaged spot. Win? Woodhall? Actually both! Thus it turned a mistake into something even more meaningful.

And then we came to know the medal is actually named “Felix.” Also, do you remember what Tara calls her medal? It’s “Philippe!’ Just so adorable. But if you think this is it, then just stop. Hunter further said, “We don’t need a new medal. We don’t need an appendix!” And then the camera shifts to the one who actually saved Hunter’s medal. Any guesses?

Well, it was none other than Hunter’s mom, Barb Woodhall. Tara, enthusiastically, says in the video, “Shoutout to Mama Barb.” So, yes, it was Hunter’s mom. After all, how can she let her son’s medal stay in a damaged state? For Hunter Woodhall, this medal wasn’t just metal and ribbon—it was history, sacrifice, and the pinnacle of his journey!

Hunter Woodhall’s medal wasn’t just any medal

For years, Hunter Woodhall had been chasing this moment! Gold at the Paralympics. He had stood on podiums before, collecting silver and bronze, but never the top prize. That all changed on a cool September night in Paris.

As he powered through the final stretch of the men’s 400m T62 final, one thought must have raced through his mind: ‘Could this really be it?’ The roar of the Stade de France crowd blurred into the background. His lungs burned, his legs pushed harder, and in a flash, he crossed the finish line, but this time, he was Numero Uno! A Paralympic champion, at last!

Disbelief hit before the joy. “Am I really first this time, or am I still dreaming?” he wondered postmatch. But the scoreboard didn’t lie. 46.36 seconds. Gold. He had dethroned Germany’s defending champion Johannes Floors. And then, instinct took over. He sprinted straight into the stands, straight to Tara. Just weeks earlier, she had soared to Olympic gold in the long jump, and now, in the very same stadium, it was his turn. With his heart still pounding, he pulled off his race bib and handed it to her, which was a symbol of everything they had built together.

For Hunter and Tara, this wasn’t just about medals. It was about the years of training side by side, pushing each other, and lifting each other. “Every day with Tara we are eating together, training together, recovering together. I also have an incredible team. Those people are who make these moments worth it,” he said. Paris 2024 had given them both gold. A love story written in sweat, sacrifice, and speed.