Hunter Woodhall came into the 2025 Drake Relays buzzing with excitement. It wasn’t just another meet — it was history in the making. For the first time in his career, he and his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, would be competing at the same event, on the same stage, side by side. Even bigger? This meet would mark a milestone in blending Paralympic and Olympic-level athletes into one competition — a moment Hunter called a ‘first, for sure.’ “All of those meets were able-bodied meets that I was running competitively enough that I was able to get into,” Hunter said, reflecting on his experiences. Also, he added, “The difference now is that we’re integrating Paralympic and Olympic competition together in the same meet.” But for all the excitement leading up to it, race day delivered a tough pill to swallow.
On April 26, Hunter Woodhall lined up for the men’s 400m World Athletics Continental Tour (WACT) race and finished eighth. His time, 48.13 seconds, placed him last in the final standings, trailing the winner, Zandrian Barnes, who clocked an impressive 45.29. A nearly three-second gap — a significant margin in the world of elite sprinting, especially for an athlete who had clinched gold in the 400m T62 just eight months ago. Yet, if Hunter felt discouraged, he didn’t show it.
Instead, in a post-race chat with Drake Athletics, Hunter kept his perspective wide and positive. “It’s the first time we’ve ever opened up this late. I mean, we just started doing speed,” he explained. “We’ve been training, you know, base and fall workouts all year just because of world champs being so late. So I’m not mad about it at all. I’m just going to take it as a learning experience, go back to the drawing board, keep training harder.” Running against such a fast field wasn’t intimidating — it was motivating.
“It was awesome running with some guys that are that fast, you know?” Hunter said, a grin breaking through. “Right away, that was a lot of pressure, so it was good.” As for why he missed the podium? Hunter kept it real. Calling it a “bust of the rust,” performance, the Paralympian admitted, “Honestly, it’s just we’ve been training really hard. We’ve been on a really hard training cycle, so our bodies are a little tired, but I don’t really have any excuses. I just didn’t compete that well.”
In true champion style, Hunter Woodhall isn’t dwelling on the result. He’s focused on the bigger picture — and hungry for what’s next. “You just don’t know where you are. So I’m happy to get it out of the way. Next time I go on the track, you know, I can know what to expect in that 400,” the 26-year-old hinted at something, perhaps a better performance. However, Tara Davis-Woodhall showed up at the Drake Relays in a full-fledged way.
Hunter Woodhall’s bad day found relief in Tara’s performance
It was a picture-perfect moment at the 2025 Drake Relays — Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall stepping onto the track together, both proudly rocking the Nike swoosh. For the power couple, it was a day to remember. And Tara? She made sure it would be unforgettable for everyone else, too.
Battling gusty winds, Tara soared to a meet record in the women’s long jump, flying out to an incredible 6.75 meters (with a +1.5 m/s wind reading). Despite the tricky conditions, she delivered when it mattered most, adding another spectacular highlight to her growing legend. But the day’s magic wasn’t just about medals or records — it was about togetherness.
Later, when Hunter faced the media after his 400m race — a tough outing where he finished eighth — Tara was right there by his side. She stood close, supporting him with quiet strength as he opened up about his performance. Wins, losses, records, challenges — they were taking it all on together. And if you were lucky enough to be at Drake Stadium that day, you didn’t just witness great athletic performances — you witnessed a love story in motion.
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