Tara Davis-Woodhall’s boots might be made for winning, but the journey wasn’t always all sunshine and rainbows. When she bagged the gold in the women’s long jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, it wasn’t just about being the best—it was about rising above the storm of childhood trauma, mental health struggles, rac**m, body image issues, injuries, and whatnot. There was a time when she was ready to call it quits and hang up her spikes for good. But instead of letting life’s curveballs knock her down, she turned those challenges into stepping stones.

Davis-Woodhall’s grandmother always called her “Cheetah,” and when she clinched the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was clear why. She leaped 7.1 meters (over 23 feet) on her fourth attempt, setting a mark no one could touch. Her smile at that moment was so infectious, it had the crowd eating out of her hand. But behind that beaming grin, Tara’s journey has been anything but easy. While the world saw the athlete at the top of her game, the path that led her there was filled with obstacles, especially as a young black girl in a sport where she often felt out of place.

In her early years in Dallas, with its diversity, Tara Davis-Woodhall was accustomed to a varied and accepting environment; however, the environment changed dramatically when she had to relocate to Calabasas, California, at the age of 11. She soon realized she was the only black girl at her new school, and it became evident rather quickly why she was often singled out. “I didn’t understand why I was always the one that was picked on, until I realized, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s because I’m the only Black girl,’” she said in an interview with SHRM INCLUSION this month.

Facing discrimination and not fitting in was a challenge for Tara; however, as time passed, she began to view those distinctions as assets rather than setbacks. They were integral to her growth into the individual she is today. Although she encountered difficulties, Tara utilized the hardships of her past to motivate herself to progress further. But that was not the conclusion of her trials but merely marked the start of a new chapter and the emergence of newer challenges.

As early as seventh grade, she considered quitting track after struggling to compete against taller opponents. Yet, even when faced with that setback, Tara found the strength to keep going. However, things took a turn for the worse in November 2020 during her time at the University of Texas when Tara Davis-Woodhall hit a low point.

The dark moment that almost made Tara Davis-Woodhall throw in the towel

In 2020, Davis-Woodhall found herself isolated, in her room for days without the motivation to leave her bed. “Mentally, I was in a dark place,” she shared openly, admitting to contemplating giving up. At that moment, Tara faced a decision. Whether she should continue pursuing a sport that had been her passion since childhood, at the age of 4 years old, or completely quit it. Through the move from Georgia to Texas and navigating the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic while recovering from a back injury, everything appeared to be unraveling. The process of forming connections with her teammates proved to be a challenge. Austin felt like an entirely different universe.

But instead of letting it all get the better of her, Tara decided to bite the bullet and give herself a deadline—Dec. 7, 2020. She even made a pros and cons list, weighing the reasons to quit track and the reasons to stay. In the end, she realized she wasn’t out of options—she had the power to choose. Tara came to the conclusion that walking away wasn’t in the cards. So, she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and made the conscious decision to get out of bed each day and find joy again.

Then in 2023, Tara faced a setback after testing positive for THC, which led to her missing out on the national indoor title and experiencing a disappointing second-place finish at the World Championships. With these challenges, Tara embraced a perspective with the arrival of the new year. She made the choice to elevate every aspect of her career.

At the end of her still-evolving journey, Tara Davis-Woodhall focused on improving her training and recovery routines while also paying attention to her sleep and diet habits. Additionally, she grew more at ease with her appearance, coming to fully accept and appreciate her muscular arms and shoulders that she once tried to conceal during high school. Having battled insecurities about her self-image for a period, Tara has now discovered the freedom of embracing her true self without any regrets.