The Paris Olympics saw a variety of athletes. Indeed, there were a variety of sports, and even in track and field itself, there were numerous athletes to keep an eye on. However, one particular couple captured the attention of the world after sharing a touching moment. Yes, I’m talking about Hunter and Tara Davis-Woodhall, who were present in each other’s gold medal moments at the Stade de France.

Their relationship is an inspiration to many, and they are grateful to have each other by their side. However, their life is also filled with their fair share of challenges, and both of them have always supported each other in their respective journeys to achieve greatness. The rough was tough, and recently, Hunter unveiled a darker reality of his wife’s early field career.

Getting a straight negative response

Rejection can be challenging, particularly for individuals with exceptional potential. Indeed, the selectors, who choose the people who will perform at a certain track and field meet, often halt the journey to greatness for many young athletes. The selectors review the statistics, but occasionally, various factors can influence their decision, potentially shattering the mental state of an aspiring athlete. However, some, like Tara Davis-Woodhall, have gone through such rejections but still managed to get herself to the top step of the podium and even win her career-first Olympic gold medal at the recent Paris Olympics. It was a special moment in her career, but it also served as a redemption for all the challenges she faced in her early career.

Talking to Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin in the Beyond The Records Podcast on YouTube, Tara’s husband opened up, stressing about his wife’s challenges, stating, “The first year out of college, we couldn’t even get her in a Diamond League meet.” Indeed, despite securing the NCAA long jump championship in both the indoor and outdoor events in 2021 while competing for the University of Texas, Tara found it challenging to break into the major leagues, such as the Diamond League. But what was the reason?

“They said no; they wouldn’t even let her come to the meet. Like we said, I swear to God, we said we will pay our way to the meet. You don’t have to pay for our travel; you don’t have to pay for our hotel. We will get there; just let us compete, and they said, ‘No,’ bro, and we were like fighting to like even be led into the sport,” said Hunter, expressing the troubles, highlighting the discrimination, that her wife faced in her early career. Indeed, Tara loved what she did, but despite all that, she wasn’t selected for the squad. She even mentioned that they didn’t want to include her in the Diamond League season because she hadn’t won any major accolades at an international event.

However, Tara’s ultimate goal was to secure a chance in the major leagues. Although Tara’s statistics were impressive and her jumps outperformed those of many of her NCAA teammates, doubts still lingered. Observing the challenges faced by these field events, the Olympic gold medalist has taken action and prepared for her own event in the future.

Tara Davis Woodhall’s plans for the field division

“It’s intimate setting; it’s not big, so you don’t have to like fill a freaking Stadium. It’s lights everywhere, there’s music, there’s cameras, there’s flashing lights, there’s fire everywhere like it is a show. I want to show someone how far I can jump, like I am defying gravity, like in a human body, in a 5-foot-3 human body,” said Tara Davis-Woodhall on Noah Lyles’ podcast after being asked about her future plans. 

Indeed, she has long observed that field events are often overlooked. But why so? The popularity dynamics between track and field are quite different. They are polar opposites of each other, as many fans tend toward the track. However, field has its own audience, but they always crave action, as they rarely have any events throughout a track and field campaign. This is what Tara wants to change, and she will be doing it on her own, with the support of her loved ones and a legion of followers. The couple didn’t reveal many details on it, but indeed the fans can expect something from them in the coming years.