2024-09-07 06:00:02
American sprinter Hunter Woodhall won a gold medal in the 400-meter T62 event at the Paralympics on Friday, joining his wife as a fellow gold medalist.
Woodhall completed the race in 46.36 seconds, 0.54 seconds faster than second-place finisher Johannes Floors. Woodhall’s wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, won gold at the Paris Olympics in the women’s long jump earlier this summer.
After the race, Woodhall tore off his bib and flipped it over, revealing the message “Wyatt Woodhall: This one is for you,” in remembrance of his uncle.
Both Woodhall and his wife Tara became stars during the Paris games. After winning gold in the long jump, Woodhall-Davis immediately ran over to the stands and leapt into Woodhall’s awaiting arms in one of the summer’s viral moments. The couple shared a similar embrace Friday.
“It’s been so hard to keep the emotions in control with everything that has gone on the past few weeks,” he told NBC Sports after the win. “It’s surreal.”
Woodhall, 25, was born with fibular hemimelia and is a double amputee. He met his future wife when they were high school track athletes, and they married in October 2022.
The couple has been open about their journey as athletes and partners, documenting their ups and downs on their way to the Olympics and Paralympics on their own YouTube channel.