"He is going to be the hunted"- Tara Davis-Woodhall confident in husband Hunter Woodhall for Paris Paralympics 2024
Tara Davis-Woodhall will be in action at the Diamond League Meeting in Rome on Friday, August 30, while her husband Hunter Woodhall will be competing at the Paris Paralympic Games. Woodhall will begin his Paralympic campaign on September 1 with the men’s 100m T64 heats.
Making his third appearance at the Paralympic Games, Woodhall hopes to emulate his wife Tara Davis-Woodhall who impressed with an Olympic gold medal in the women’s long jump. Davis-Woodhall cleared 7.10m to finish first ahead of defending champion Malaika Mihambo and Jasmine Moore, who finished second and third after clearing 6.98 meters and 6.96 meters, respectively.
Speaking about her husband’s Paralympic ambitions at the pre-race press conference of the Diamond League Meeting in Rome, Davis-Woodhall shared that Woodhall will be out to enjoy himself. The world indoor long jump champion explained that Woodhall has worked hard to qualify for the Paralympics and he will undoubtedly be one to watch for.
"Just going out there and having fun…I mean, he’s worked hard this season to get to this point. He has a target on his back and he is going to be the hunted this year," Davis-Woodhall said.
Woodhall will make his third Paralympic appearance in Paris after impressive campaigns at the Rio and Tokyo Paralympic Games. In Rio, he managed to secure a silver medal in the men's 200m T44 after clocking 21.12 seconds. Woodhall claimed the 400m T44 bronze medal, clocking 46.70 seconds to cross the finish line.
In Tokyo, he claimed bronze in the men’s 400m T62 and finished eighth in the men’s 100m T64. This time around, Woodhall will be competing in the men's 100m T64 and the men's 400m T62.
Hunter Woodhall shares how wife Tara Davis-Woodhall prepared him for Paralympics
Hunter Woodhall recently shared how his wife Tara Davis-Woodhall prepared him for the Paris Paralympic Games.
In an interview with NBC News, the two-time Olympian shared that watching Davis-Woodhall win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics prepared him for what to expect at the Paralympics.
The 25-year-old added that he is in the form of his life and ready for the challenge that lies ahead. During his preparations, Woodhall contracted COVID-19, which forced him to pause his training. However, he resumed his training after recovering.
"I’m feeling really good, mentally and physically. Watching Tara in Paris was a really great visualization. So I’m prepared," he shared.
On her part, Tara Davis-Woodhall will be in action at the Diamond League Meeting in Rome, her first competition since the Paris Olympic Games. She will face a strong field, including Jasmine Moore, who earned a bronze medal in Paris, Quanesha Burks, Sumire Hata, Marthe Koala, Fatima Diame, and Alina Rotaru-Kottmann.