“Almost Positive I Have Heel Fracture”: Tara Davis-Woodhall Shares Struggles to Make US Champion Ahead of Paris Olympics

Tara Davis-Woodhall secured a spot on Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympics in the long jump. She’s now the first Longhorn to qualify for the Olympics twice in her career and the second to be a two-time Olympian in the long jump. Her journey wasn’t without challenges; at one point, she feared an injury might derail her Olympic dreams.

However, she persevered and will soon compete at the Stade de France. Qualifying for Team USA is a remarkable achievement, highlighting Davis-Woodhall’s talent and determination. But fortunately, things worked out for her, and she’ll find herself in Stade de France very soon.

Tara Davis-Woodhall: Overcoming injury and setting sights on Paris

Tara Davis-Woodhall recently gave a press conference discussing her progress since participating in the Tokyo Olympics, which was underwhelming for her. Now that she has made the team for Paris, she’s determined to save her best performance for the upcoming Games. In the silver medalist’s own words, she’s saving her “peak” performance for when she gets to Paris. However, there’s one potential obstacle that might prevent her from peaking: injury.

“A couple of days ago, I told myself, I told…I have some bumps and bruises. I’m almost positive that I have a heel fracture and every time If you look, every time I got into the pit I was limping and I was trying so hard not to limp,” said the athlete, referring to her experience at the USATF New York Grand Prix. Despite this setback, what she achieved is even more impressive. She didn’t have the best start, recording two opening fouls. But as they say, the third time’s the charm, and that held for the Olympian.

In her third attempt, she recorded 6.64m (21-9.50), moving into fifth place and advancing to the final for three additional jumps. She peaked in the fifth-round jump with 7.00m (22-11.75), not only earning the USA’s national title but also securing a place in the Olympics. While Davis-Woodhall declined to make further comments about her preparations for Paris, there’s one person who’s not only impressed with her but has also shared a few tidbits about how the Olympian is preparing for this potentially career-changing event.

Travis Geopfert has never seen Tara like this before

Competing at the highest level of athletics demands significant sacrifices, especially on such a prestigious stage. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity prompted her to overhaul not only her diet but also her training regimen. The results were spectacular, culminating in her finally securing a place on the team.

Coach Geopfert said, “Her fitness level is like it’s never been. It’s her commitment to everything. The weight room, nutrition, sleep, all of that has just been phenomenal. And the result is what you see today.” Now that the World Indoor Champion has qualified for the Olympics, attention has shifted to her injured heel.

If her statement about the fracture proves true, it could impact her prospects beyond the Paris Games. However, with time remaining before the main event, she can balance her training with focused rehabilitation efforts.