“Remembering how you got to where you are is important to understanding how you get to the next step and how you continue that legacy,” Hunter Woodhall said to the host, Kirby Heyborne, at RootsTech 2025 on Saturday. Those words ring especially true for his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, whose path to the top wasn’t always smooth. Every athlete faces hurdles, but for Tara, the biggest challenge wasn’t just on the track. It was finding a place that believed in her talent.

Despite being one of the most electrifying long jumpers of her generation, there was a time when no NCAA school was willing to take her in. Imagine dominating high school track and field, setting records, and proving you belong among the best. Only to be left without a home at the collegiate level. It was during this turbulent period that one person stood unwaveringly by her side, her father.

The same man who coached her as a child, who saw her potential before the world did, and who made sure she never gave up on her dream. “He truly understands what I’m capable of, and he never once doubted me. He knew that I would become the Olympic gold medalist one day,” Tara said. His faith in her wasn’t just words; it was action. From the moment she picked up the sport as a child, Ty Davis was there. Coaching and reminding her of the champion she was destined to become.

Davis combined his role as a Texas A&M track and field athlete with his coaching duties. Providing essential support to his daughter as both mentor and father figure. Their connection surpassed normal coaching relationships by an extent that went deeper than training runs. “My dad and I, we could turn the switch off from coach and athlete to dad and daughter quickly and easily,” Tara shared. Track and field had rooted itself as an inherited love from father to daughter. The activities of jumping at home and on the track brought them back to discuss the long jump, which taught them that belief and passion could defeat any difficult situation.

For Tara, the competitive fire that drove her to Olympic success wasn’t just about personal ambition; it was something passed down through generations. Her great-grandfather was a middleweight boxing champion, a story she grew up hearing time and time again. “It feels really good to keep that type of legacy alive, that winning legacy of never giving up,” she said. The ability to rise from setbacks, to defy expectations. Pushing through adversity is something that runs deep in her family’s DNA.

Tara Davis-Woodhall’s journey of perseverance

Tara Davis-Woodhall’s path to Olympic gold was never straightforward. Her talent was undeniable—she had secured both the NCAA indoor and outdoor long jump titles in 2021. But the road to competing at the highest level was riddled with barriers. On the Beyond The Records podcast, her husband, Hunter Woodhall, shed light on just how difficult it was for Tara to break into the professional ranks. “The first year out of college, we couldn’t even get her in a Diamond League meet,” he revealed. Despite dominating in college, major event organizers refused to allow her to prove herself on a global stage.

Tara Davis-Woodhall decided against allowing the barriers in front of her to determine the direction of her life. She put in immense effort because her goal remained to reach the prominent athletic competitions. Tara finished sixth in Tokyo before returning for the Paris Olympics in improved form to secure victory instead of mere participation. She improved her Olympic performance by five ranks to capture first place during the competition. With her final attempt in the jump, she immediately ran to Hunter’s embrace. The achievement represented more than victory acknowledgment because it showed the years of rejections and fighting back.

Even before the struggles of her professional career, Tara was no stranger to challenges. “The month of April was hard for me. Mentally and physically. Days were long and hard, but I kept fighting,” she admitted. Throughout her life, she fought against high school bullying and injuries, which took her off the field. She even had to face skepticism from her coaches. Since achieving Olympic gold, she has used her achievements to shine as an example of persistence for athletes dealing with the very challenges she did before. What do you think about her incredible run all this time?