At the Stade de France, Hunter Woodhall, the electrifying US sprinter with his prosthetic blades, had just taken home his first Paralympic gold in the T62 400 meters, flying down the track in Paris. Right by his side was his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, the Olympic long jump champ, grinning behind her sunglasses. But one moment caught the attention of everyone as Hunter Woodhall crossed the finish line first.
For 25-year-old Woodhall, winning gold was even sweeter after taking bronze in the same event at the Tokyo Games. But do you think it was the gold medal that brought tears to his eyes? Not even close. It was his emotional post-race speech that got to all of us, including him, as he reflected on the journey and the people who supported him along the way.
As he went past the finish line, Woodhall took out his bib and showed the cameras the message it carried. “Wyatt Woodhall, this one’s for you,” it read. Wyatt Woodhall was Hunter’s uncle and a longtime coach in Montana who passed away in May 2021 after a long battle with cancer. Hunter opened up about Wyatt’s significance in his life and career in a video posted by Team USA on Instagram.
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“It is tough growing up as a kid with a disability. It’s tough to find people who genuinely believe in you. My uncle Wyatt was that person. He would show up to my track meets, support me, travel with me, and be excited about the sport and what I was doing,” he said.
Woodhall was born with fibular hemimelia, a condition where the fibula bone is either short or missing. At just 11 months old, both of his legs were amputated to improve his long-term quality of life. His uncle, Wyatt Woodhall played a crucial role in his journey. Hunter has spoken about how much Wyatt’s belief in him meant. In Hunter’s words, Wyatt helped lay the foundation for the gold medal-winning athlete we see today.
“We are not Woodhalls originally—my dad got adopted by the Woodhall family, by Wyatt. He brought us in, and we’ve always thought of the Woodhalls as a family of people who may not have had a place to fit in. But it means something to be a Woodhall, and that man created a legacy in our family that will last forever. My whole family was there to experience that moment with me, he shared in the interview.
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Hunter Woodhall's tribute to his dad—Is this the most touching moment in Paralympic history?
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As he spoke, Woodhall looked down, his voice breaking as tears welled up in his eyes. It was clear that the emotional weight of Wyatt’s impact and the legacy he left behind were hitting him deeply at that moment.
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Woodhall was born in Georgia and raised in Utah, but his family’s roots trace back to Central Montana. His father, Steve, a 1983 Hobson High graduate, and his mother, Barb, from Grass Range, carry deep Montana ties. However, one surprising detail is that Hunter’s father was adopted, which eventually connected Hunter to his uncle Wyatt, a key figure in his life.
Hunter went on to say, “We all said afterward that we could feel him there. I needed something special in the last 100 meters, and I got it. I don’t have to wonder where it came from. It was just a really special moment.” Over the years, Hunter has often spoken about his uncle’s peaceful wisdom, and today, standing on that podium, he felt the weight of Wyatt’s presence more than ever, even though he wasn’t there. Back in 2021, Hunter Woodhall talked about how he was motivated by his Montana roots and his uncle’s memory.
Speaking to MontanaSports.com before the Tokyo Olympics he said, “Wyatt is the most selfless person that has ever been in my life and that I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He had such a big impact in my life. He was there from the time I was born and my parents were having to go through the decision to amputate my legs.”
After Wyatt’s passing in May 2021, Hunter Woodhall also posted a message on his Facebook, bidding farewell to him and yet again highlighting his contribution to his life. “I am proud to be a Woodhall because of people like my uncle, there is no chance me or anyone in our family would be where they are today without the love and sacrifices that he has given. Rest in peace Uncle Wyatt,” a part of the post read.
Well, three years later Woodhall is an Olympic champion, and has he achieved the feat he made sure to pay an ode to his uncle Wyatt. Beyond that moment of triumph, Hunter credited the support and inspiration from his wife, who has been by his side since 2017, helping him push through every challenge.
Immediately after his tribute to his late uncle, Hunter Woodhall ran to his wife Tara Davis Woodhall, who was in the stands, and embraced her. Last month it was Hunter cheering on Tara, as she won the Olympic women’s long jump gold and now the roles are reversed.
In a video shared to their joint Instagram account on September 6, the couple each wore their medals around their necks while they shared an embrace and jumped up and down.
The track stars have been fierce supporters of each other and now have become gold medalists having each other side by side. But how did they first meet on his journey which led them to become the golden couple of Paris?
How a chance meeting on the track turned Tara Davis and Hunter Woodhall into an Olympic power couple’s dream come true!
Hunter Woodhall found his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, in the stands for a long embrace after his victory at the Paris Olympics. Their love story began in 2017 at a high school indoor track meet in Pocatello, Idaho. Tara, who had traveled from California, and Hunter, who had come from Utah, crossed paths during the competition. Tara first noticed Hunter while warming up for an event, unaware he wore prosthetics. Hunter remembered watching Tara take a picture on the track and turning to a friend, confidently saying, “This is the girl I’m going to marry.”
Tara shared, “I stepped onto the track and said, ‘I don’t know why I have to do this, but I have to give you a hug.’ He was like, ‘OK.’ He was very taken aback. And that was the first time we talked.” Their relationship quickly blossomed after Tara sent him a message on social media, and the two began dating long distance. They married on Oct. 16, 2022, and have been chasing gold medals together ever since.
After the Paris Olympics, Hunter credited his wife for her support, saying, “Every day with Tara, we’re eating together, training together, recovering together. I also have an incredible team. Those people are who make these moments worth it.” Tara, who set a high bar with her own gold at the Olympics, proudly added, “I was so nervous, I was so pumped—knowing he was ready to run and how much he wanted to win. And now he has.”
Their victories highlight just how much they’re each other’s rock, proving that when you’re a team, you really can move mountains together.
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Hunter Woodhall's tribute to his dad—Is this the most touching moment in Paralympic history?