Love sneaks up when you least expect it, they say. Well, this is probably what an 18-year-old Hunter Woodhall felt, when he caught the first glimpse of his now wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall. The golden power couple recently shared some emotional moments at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games, which continue to linger in the minds of their fans, even days after. But do you know how the love story that pillars their rock-solid connection kicked off?

After clinching the T62 400m gold in 46.36 seconds at Stade de France, Hunter Woodhall ran straight to Tara, who was seated in the stands, and hugged her, much like she did as she won the long jump gold on August 8. To the world, this might seem an aww-worthy moment, one that leaves them smitten with love. But for the couple, it reminds them of the start of their lifelong romance.

Hunter Woodhall opens up on his match made in heaven with Tara

As the 2x Paralympic medalist from Paris, Hunter Woodhall spoke to KTLA Weekend Morning news, he clarified the speculations that have been brewing for a long time. Were the couple high-school sweethearts? Shedding light on that, Hunter answered, “Yes, I mean. people keep bringing that up. We did meet in high school so…” However, admittedly, their first meet had bowled Hunter over.

He reminisced about the ‘unbelievable moment’ saying, “Actually on my 18th birthday, we had a track meet in Idaho where Tara and I were both there. She’s from LA area, I’m from Utah, we met in the middle and I had just ran a 400m. And Tara walked up onto the track after the race and was like ‘I dont know why but I felt like I just need to gave you a hug.’ And I was like what is going on, are you kidding me.”

Tara’s gesture left Hunter Woodhall pleasantly taken aback. But, he did not retreat and made efforts for this to cultivate into something special. He confessed, “I spent the rest of the meet walking around, hoping that I’d run into her so we could randomly talk.” And as destiny would have it, the plan truly worked out. He continued, “And we kept in contact and we became really great friends.” To an extent that Tara would drive down from LA to the training center, so that she could spend time and train with him.

And before the two knew it, their friendship blossomed into a solid commitment. Tracing how their connection gradually grew roots, Hunter stated, “We started dating in college. We did 4 years of distance and after Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, we moved in together. And yeah, we’ve been doing it together ever since.” And as the 25-year-old double amputee para-athlete won at the Paralympic Games, he did not miss out on crediting his wife Tara for his triumphs.

Woodhall and Tara are stronger together

Hunter Woodhall claims to have learnt a lot from Tara, including the art of journaling. He recently confessed how Tara introduced him to the power of self-affirmation. Right before the Games commenced, he would always witness Tara penning words of affirmation in her journal, and he picked up that habit. Until today, when his wish to ‘be a Paralympic champion’ has actually manifested out of that.

Tara and Hunter Woodhall are not just husband wife, but also training partners and now, fellow gold medalists form the 2024 Summer Games. But, there’s much more to their bond. Hunter even acknowledged, “She’s [Tara] my accountability partner, my training partner, and my best friend. We do all this together and these past four years there’s been a lot of trials and tribulations but we just worked through them as a team.” Indeed, on this journey of life, the two have sworn to stand by each other. What do you think of their love story? Share your thoughts below!