“You gotta be proud of being different” - Hunter Woodhall shares invaluable piece of advice as he reflects on struggles as amputee athlete

Hunter Woodhall is a five-time Paralympic medalist and an inspiration for many aspiring athletes. Recently, the American shared an invaluable piece of advice with a young fan, encouraging him to embrace his differences as his superpower.

Woodhall first rose to fame in 2016, when he qualified for the Rio Paralympics while still in high school. At the Games, he won a silver in the men's 400m T44 and the men's 200m T44. Since then, the 26-year-old has claimed three more Paralympic medals, including a gold at the Paris Games in the men's 400m T62 event.

Recently, Hunter Woodhall, alongside his wife and fellow Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, attended the Tara Davis Invitational meet, when a young fan asked Woodhall how he should deal with kids teasing him. Drawing from his own struggles of being an amputee athlete, Woodhall encouraged the youngster to embrace whatever made him different, saying,

“Listen buddy, everything that they're making fun of you for, anything they point out about you, when you get older, it's going to be your superpower. It's going to be what you change the world with. You gotta be proud of being different, you gotta be proud of looking different, doing things different, because that's what makes a difference in the world. You're exactly who you need to be so don't feel like you need to be anybody else but yourself.”

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Hunter Woodhall shows support for young athletes as he reflects on his Paralympics victory

Woodhall the Paris Paralympics (Image Source: Getty)

After his successful outing at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Hunter Woodhall signed with the University of Arkansas, becoming the first double-amputee track and field athlete to earn a Division I athletic scholarship. Competing for the Razorbacks, the American claimed the bronze medal in the 4x400 meter at the 2017 SEC Outdoor Championships.

On Monday, March 17, Woodhall took to Instagram to reflect on his Paris Paralympics victory, while showing his support for the next generation of NCAA track and field stars, writing,

“Reminiscing on this moment, and this sport. It has given me every good thing in my life. I want to see it grow and continue change. Thank you to everyone who is pouring into it. Watching the NCAA meet today I'm so excited for the future of the sport. If you get some time today watch NCAA's on ESPN+”

As he gears up for the 2025 season, Hunter Woodhall will be focused on the World Para Athletics Championships, which are scheduled to be held between September 26 and October 5 in India. The American is a two-time silver medalist at the World Para Athletics Championships and will be in the hunt for his first gold.