SAINT-DENIS, France — Long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall almost gave up on her dreams. She faced struggles with depression and body image issues, describing her journey as going ‘through hell and back.’
Yet, on Thursday night at the Stade de France, all her trials culminated in a triumphant moment when she fell back into the sand pit, knowing she had become an Olympic champion.
Davis-Woodhall clinched gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics by jumping 7.1 meters (over 23 feet), an impressive feat on her fourth attempt that no other competitor, including defending champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany, could surpass.
For the 25-year-old, it was a redemptive win following last year’s second-place finish at the world championships. It also held deep emotional significance, given her challenging journey.
‘I worked so hard to stay positive and motivated this year,’ she shared. ‘That motivation transformed into reality. And now, I’m an Olympic gold medalist.’
This victory placed her alongside fellow American Jasmine Moore, who took bronze, while Mihambo earned silver.
Thursday’s gold medal marked a pinnacle for one of track and field’s most charismatic stars. Known for wearing a cowboy hat at events and engaging the crowd in a slow clap before her jumps, Davis-Woodhall’s energy is contagious. Her social media presence is equally vibrant, boasting over a million followers across Instagram and TikTok. She and her husband, Paralympic athlete Hunter Woodhall, also manage a YouTube channel.
However, beneath her infectious smile lies a deeply personal struggle. In November 2020, during her tenure at the University of Texas, she hit a low point, remaining in her room for nearly a week, unable to rise from bed.
‘I was in a dark place mentally,’ she admitted earlier this year. ‘I felt like I didn’t want to be here anymore.’
Her depression led her to question everything, including her devotion to the sport that had been her lifelong passion.
Transferring from Georgia to Texas, she grappled with the broader impacts of COVID-19 and a fractured back. Initially, she struggled to bond with her new teammates, and the city of Austin felt unfamiliar.
Emerging from this, she set a self-imposed deadline of December 7, 2020, to decide whether to continue in track and field or to quit. She even created a pros and cons list to weigh her options.
Ultimately, Davis-Woodhall realized she had choices. Competing since the age of four with her father as her coach, she had never considered life without track and field. Now, quitting was an option, as was the daily choice to rise from bed and embrace a joyful attitude.
‘That’s when I realized it was my choice,’ she said. ‘I could either stay sad and in bed all day or go outside and enjoy life – a life we only live once.’
Her journey since has been marked by highs and challenges. In 2021, she set a collegiate record at Texas, placed second at the U.S. Olympic trials, and finished sixth at the Tokyo Games. In 2023, she faced a setback due to a positive THC test, leading to the stripping of her national indoor title and a second-place finish at the world championships.
The new year brought changes. Ramping up her training, recovery, sleep, and diet, Davis-Woodhall said she also embraced her body image, no longer hiding her muscular arms and shoulders under a hoodie as she had in high school.
‘Not being able to be myself was tough,’ she shared. ‘But now, I am free, and I won’t go back.’
Recently hired as an assistant coach at Kansas State, she is one of several Team USA athletes advocating for mental health, crediting their therapists in celebratory news conferences. Gymnastics star Simone Biles, another such advocate, was present at the Stade de France to witness Davis-Woodhall’s stunning achievement.
For Davis-Woodhall, it all comes down to choice. With the word ‘sacrifice’ tattooed on her torso, she understands its meaning deeply. Yet, it was her choice over the past four years that led to Thursday night, where she leaped triumphantly into the sand pit and her husband’s arms, smiling broadly.
This gold medal was one of the things on her pros and cons list in 2020. It was her reason to keep going, and on Thursday, she was overjoyed that she did.
