Hunter Woodhall facts for kids
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Woodhall at the 2024 Bislett Games
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| Born | February 17, 1999 Cartersville, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Education | University of Arkansas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and Field | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Hunter Woodhall (born February 17, 1999) is an American track and field athlete. He is known for competing in the Paralympic Games. Hunter won a gold medal in the 400 meters T62 event at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris. He also earned a bronze medal in the same event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.
Hunter first competed internationally in 2015. He won silver and bronze medals at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships. Later, he earned a silver and a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. After finishing high school, he made history. Hunter became the first athlete with two amputated legs to receive a scholarship to compete in NCAA Division I college sports.
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Hunter's Early Life and Journey
Hunter Woodhall was born in Georgia, USA. His father was in the military at the time. When Hunter was 11 months old, doctors had to remove both of his legs. This was because of a condition called fibular hemimelia, where a bone in the lower leg is missing.
He grew up in Syracuse, Utah. Hunter was homeschooled until fifth grade. When he started public school, some kids were unkind because of his disability. Hunter first used regular prosthetic legs. But later, he switched to special carbon fiber "blades" for running. These blades helped him join a track team.
Hunter's Amazing Sports Career
High School Success and Paralympic Debut
While attending Syracuse High School, Hunter competed for the United States National Paralympic Team. His first international competition was in 2015. At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, he won a silver and a bronze medal.
By his senior year, Hunter was one of the top 20 runners in America for the 400-meter race. He ran it in 47.32 seconds. He competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics. There, he won a bronze medal in the men's 400 meters and a silver medal in the men's 200 meters. Because of his achievements, the Mayor of Syracuse City, Terry Palmer, declared September 15 "Hunter Woodhall Day." After high school, Hunter was named the 2016 Male High School Track Athlete of the Year. He then became the first double-amputee track and field athlete to get a Division I athletic scholarship. He chose to attend the University of Arkansas.
College Athletics and Media Spotlight
In his first year at the University of Arkansas, Hunter competed against runners without disabilities. He ran in six indoor and seven outdoor track meets. His times included 1:58.04 for 800 meters and 47.42 seconds for 400 meters. He helped his team win a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 meter relay at the SEC Outdoor Championships. He was also nominated for NCAA Game Changer of the Year. He was named a First-Team All-American in the 4 × 400 meter Relay and Distance Medley Relay.
During his second and third years, Hunter ran his fastest 400-meter race in 46.22 seconds. He became a three-time All-American in the 4 x 400 meter relay. In his junior year, Hunter started sharing his story on TikTok. He talked about how he lost his legs. This led to an invitation to The Ellen DeGeneres Show. On the show, he received $20,000 to help him prepare for the 2020 Paralympic Games.
Recent Paralympic Achievements
Hunter won a gold medal in the 400-meter T62 event at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris. He celebrated this big win with his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall. She had also won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics earlier that year. Hunter also earned a bronze medal in the mixed 4 × 100 meter Universal Relay at the 2024 Paralympics. He ran the third part of that race.
Hunter's Personal Life
On October 16, 2022, Hunter Woodhall married his longtime girlfriend, Olympian Tara Davis-Woodhall. They first met at a track meet in Idaho in 2017. Together, they run a popular YouTube channel where they share their lives and experiences. Their celebration of Tara's gold medal win at the 2024 Summer Olympics received a lot of attention from the media.
See also
In Spanish: Hunter Woodhall para niños
