"Still so freaking weird"- Tara Davis-Woodhall expresses disbelief over her Paris Olympics gold medal victory

Tara Davis-Woodhall had an incredible season in 2024, and the long jumper is still not over her exploits at the Paris Olympics. The American recently opened up about what her gold at the Games means to her, and how she's still not used to being labeled the Olympic champion.

Davis-Woodhall got her season off to a winning start, finishing first at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville. The 25-year-old continued to compete indoors into March and was crowned champion at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, the USA Indoor Championships, and the World Indoor Championships.

Her first outdoor competition of the year came in May when she finished first at the Arkansas Twilight. She then went on to win the USATF New York City Grand Prix and the US Olympic Trials, before arriving in Paris for the 2024 Games.

At Stade De France, Tara Davis-Woodhall was incredible, leaping to gold with a jump of 7.10m. Now, reflecting on her victory months after the competition, the American told People Magazine,

"It's still so crazy to see a picture of me with a gold medal around my neck, or going to events and them saying Tara Woodhall, the Olympic gold champion. It's just still so freaking weird.”

After the Games, Davis-Woodhall competed and finished first at the Rome Diamond League, ending her season unbeaten.

Tara Davis-Woodhall on her approach to the 2025 season

Davis-Woodhall at the Paris Olympics (Image Source: Getty)

After her exploits at the Paris Olympics, Tara Davis-Woodhall moved to Kansas to continue training with her long-time coach, Travis Geopfert.

As she looks ahead to competing next year, the long jumper explained that she doesn't have any fixed targets for the coming season, and just wants to enjoy the title of ‘reigning Olympic Champion’, saying,

"It'll be to just embrace the feeling of being the newly reigning Olympic champion, and just going out and jumping and competing with just the joy of that. There's nothing really hanging over my head anymore of like, 'I need to be this, I need to have this.' 2025 should just be a year of growing and rebuilding of what we did this year,” Davis-Woodhall told People magazine.

In Kansas, Tara Davis-Woodhall has also taken up the role of assistant coach at K-State University. Her husband and Paralympic champion Hunter Woodhall, who is also coached by Geopfert, has made the move alongside her, and the duo regularly share updates of their new life on social media.