"Food wasn't really great, I lost a lot of weight" - Tara Davis-Woodhall on subpar accommodations at Paris Olympics Village

American long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall recently disclosed that she decided not to stay at the Olympic Village in Paris due to inadequate accommodations. She said this during her appearance at The Game on 1350 KMAN podcast.

Davis-Woodhall made waves at the Paris Olympics as she claimed the first Olympic medal of her track and field career. Her leap of 7.10 meters on the fourth attempt put her ahead of the rest of the pack and later turned out to be enough to earn her the gold medal. She surpassed Germany's Malaika Mihambo, who was defending her title but ultimately had to settle for silver.

However, she was one of the many athletes, like Coco Gauff and Chari Hawkins, who found it tricky to cope with the challenging conditions at the Olympic Village during the Games. As a result, Tara Davis-Woodhall left the village to stay at the hotels.

During a conversation on The Game on the 1350 KMAN podcast on Thursday, August 22, she even mentioned that the food provided at the village made her lose weight. She stated:

"I stayed there for a week and then once Hunter landed, I packed a bag and I left." [14:40]

When asked if the conditions were as bad as everyone claimed, she replied:

"Yes, maybe even a little bit worse. The food wasn't really great. I lost a lot of weight. I wasn't really, there's a lot of walking. So I had to stay in my room because I get tired of walking. I don't like to walk that much. My legs get really tired and my feet start to ache. My feet are the most important thing." [14:50]

Tara Davis-Woodhall reflects on her journey from Tokyo Olympics disappintment to being Paris Olympics champion

Tara Davis-Woodhall at Paris 2024 Games - Athletics - Source: Getty

Tara Davis-Woodhall had a forgettable outing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she could not make it to the podium following a sixth-place finish with a jump of 6.84 meters. Reflecting on her performance, she said:

"I did not want to be here. I couldn’t see myself being Olympic champion. After Tokyo, I was like, ‘I’m never going to do that again." (Via CNN)

However, her 2024 season and Paris Olympics gold changed her thoughts about her athletic future.

"This year has been different. I’ve doubted so many things. My nutrition, I’ve been eating red meat, and it’s the best thing I’ve probably done. I never let anything get me down. I tried so hard to just keep on being positive this year, keep on being motivated. That motivation turned into manifestation, and manifestation turned into reality, and the reality is I’m an Olympic gold medalist." She added.

Apart from being an Olympic champion, Tara Davis-Woodhall was appointed assistant coach for Kansas State University Athletics.