Paralympics champion Hunter Woodhall was left in tears while his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, was filled with excitement after USA Track and Field made a groundbreaking announcement. The couple will compete in the same event for the first time since their college days, a moment they had long hoped for.
This milestone comes after USA Track and Field decided to host both the Para and able-bodied national championships together. The 2025 USATF Para National Championships will take place at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from July 31 to August 2, 2025.
This event will mark the first time in history that the Para and able-bodied championships will be combined, following the transition of the Paralympic track and field program to USA Track and Field in January. It will also be the first major Para track and field event that USATF will host as the official national governing body for the sport.
The three-day competition will not only showcase some of the country’s top athletes but will also serve as the team selection event for the 2025 Para Athletics World Championships, which will take place in Delhi, India, in September. For Hunter, the Paralympic champion in the 400m T62, this marks a significant opportunity to compete alongside Tara, the Olympic long jump champion, in a major competition for the first time since their college years in 2019.
In a joint Instagram post, the couple expressed their gratitude and excitement. “For the first time in history, US Paralympic Trials and Able Body champs will be under the same roof. We haven’t competed at the same championship since 2019 in college. Unbelievably grateful, see you all in Eugene. Time to make history,” they wrote.
While Tara celebrated the announcement, Hunter was overwhelmed with emotion. Tears streamed down his face as he took in the news. The couple, who have supported each other throughout their careers, had always faced the challenge of competing at different venues for major championships. Now, for the first time, they will be together at the same event, a momentous occasion made possible by USA Track and Field’s landmark decision.
Both athletes will also be looking to make history this year. Tara has already established herself as a world-class competitor, winning silver medals in both the 100m T64 and 400m T62 at the 2024 World Championships. Meanwhile, Hunter also claimed silver at the 2023 World Championships, before securing gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Both are now focusing on their goal of winning their first world titles.
This historic decision by USA Track and Field not only highlights the growth of Para athletics but also provides a platform for athletes like Hunter and Tara to further elevate their careers. With both athletes already achieving remarkable success on the world stage, their shared journey at the 2025 USATF Para National Championships promises to be an unforgettable chapter in their careers.
As they prepare to compete side by side once again, both Hunter and Tara are eager to inspire and make an impact, with a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities they now share. The competition in Eugene will not just be another race or meet; it will be a celebration of the unbreakable bond between two elite athletes making history together.