In a breathtaking exhibition of sheer athletic ability and unwavering commitment, track and field luminaries Hunter Woodall and Tara Davis Woodall have, once more, captured gold at the world’s biggest stage of international sport in 2024. The vivid representation of the couple’s spirit and surmountable story has catapulted them to the hearts of not just millions but, perhaps, even billions, serving as the very embodiment of their captured headline and perched atop the metaphorical pedestal of “All You Need Is Love.”
Hunter Woodall won the men’s 400-meter final at the Paralympic athletic competition held in Tokyo on September 4, 2021. Though Woodall has run the event faster, his time of 46.36 seconds—though not officially a world record since the event was run under mixed conditions (i.e., with flagpoles)—minimally places him second among all performers in what has become an increasingly elite class of 400-meter runners in the 2020s. Woodall’s 2021 performance, however, did not occur in a vacuum; it serves as an impressive bookend to the runner’s story of determination against adversity since he was diagnosed with COVID-19 just two weeks prior.
Just a few weeks earlier, Tara Davis Woodall had experienced the peak of glory at the Paris Olympics, winning her first Olympic medal in the long jump. The pair’s emotional celebration went viral, with Tara soaking up the euphoric moment as Hunter held her, so obviously proud, and whispered, “You’re the Olympic champ, baby.” And what a moment it was! Tara, with an expression that said she could hardly believe it, wore a grin so bright it nearly equaled the shine of the medal hanging around her neck.
Their remarkable accomplishments may be paled only by the amazing strength of their partnership—a bond that has endured and grown through both tough and triumphant times. The pair gave an exclusive interview to Access, letting us in on a glimpse behind the curtains of their lives. Tara made no bones about the serious downs both she and Hunter have encountered during their careers, with her own being the low point of 2020, when she basically was ready to “hang it up,” as she puts it. Hunter’s encouragement and presence in her life proved to be the support system that eased her through that difficult time—one that can still be just as difficult to navigate even for someone as accomplished and bright as she is.
It seems to be their wonderful working together that leads to victory. “One of the best things about being with Tara is like we do the exact same stuff. We eat the same; we recover the same; we sleep the same,” enthused Hunter while they chatted with Access. This deliberate in sync life they share makes not just for wins but for empowerment. Each effectively co-opted into the other’s world of sport, they’ve made one another the engines of their own personally motivational success.
The couple has together written a story of never giving up and of love that knows no bounds. In the eyes of many, they are the epitome of what two people can achieve when they set their hearts and minds to doing something… Together. Hunter had just urged Tara to win; his words were strong, yet kind. “Just get over here real quick.” And then, after her hands had reluctantly released the ice of her momentary disappointment to pick up the gold medal, Tara seemed to recall those orders and… obeyed.
As another Olympic win shines brightly upon them, Hunter and Tara show us that the real essence of success goes well beyond just medals and world records. They embody a vulnerable kind of courage that not only allows them to be top contenders in figure skating but also lets them be upstanding human beings. They are our torchbearers—if not for gold, then certainly for something far more precious: the figure in a standing ovation.
With their continued ascent to the pinnacle of athletic accomplishment, Hunter and Tara Woodall break down the barriers of individual disability and exemplify the very nature of the American Spirit. They embrace every challenge with such determination and class that, when one observes their rise, it becomes impossible not to cheer for them as if they were our own personal friends.
