Inside Tara Davis and Hunter Woodhall's love story after sending fans wild with heartwarming Olympics celebration - and it all started with a flirty Instagram DM Tara Davis and Hunter Woodhall met as high schoolers in Idaho in 2017 Read More: JLo's battle to save her blended family: How star is keeping Ben Affleck's children close with shopping sprees and holidays By Lydia Hawken For Mailonline Published: 04:38 EDT, 14 August 2024 | Updated: 04:54 EDT, 14 August 2024 e-mail View comments They may be two of the most famous athletes in the world and boast three Olympic medals between them - but Tara Davis and Hunter Woodhall's love story has a rather humble beginning. The pair - who have been dubbed the first 'Olympic-Paralympic power couple' - laid eyes on each other at a track meet in Idaho in 2017 when they were still in high school. Afterwards, a smitten Hunter - now 25 - texted a friend and told them: 'This the girl I am going to marry.
' Last week, sports fans reassured Tara, also 25, that she had indeed 'married right' when a clip of Hunter celebrating his wife's long jump success at the Olympics went viral. Watching from the stands in Paris, Hunter - who is a track and field Paralympic athlete - was seen wearing a 'Team Tara' t-shirt. Pictured: Paralympian Hunter Woodhall hugs his wife Tara after she won an Olympic Gold medal in long jump Pictured: Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall.
The couple met as high schoolers in Idaho in 2017 In the moments leading up to her event, the Paralympian was filmed passionately yelling 'come on baby' from the stands. After Tara's magnificent 7.10m jump, Hunter rushed to the front of the stand and yelled: 'Oh my God.
Oh my God. Baby, you're the Olympic champion! Oh my God, you did it!' Tara then leapt into his arms as Hunter continued to shout: 'You did it!' The heartwarming moment went viral on X - with one writing: 'I swear he is happier than she is. I got all weepy watching him.
Love is beautiful.' 'That is so awesome,' a third said. 'It made me so emotional.
Beautiful love!' As Hunter prepares to represent Team USA in the Paralympics, FEMAIL delves into the love story that has set the internet alight. Flirty first meeting Tara Davis, second place in the Women's Long Jump Final, celebrates with Paralympian Hunter Woodhall on day nine of the 2020 U.S.
Olympic Track & Field Team Trials Pictured: Tara and Hunter. Hunter was born with a condition called fibular hemimelia, meaning the fibula bones in his lower legs never fully formed Hunter was born with a condition called fibular hemimelia, meaning the fibula bones in his lower legs never fully formed. When he was 11 months old, his parents Ty and Rayshon made the decision to have his legs amputated below the knee.
Speaking to People in August 2021, Hunter explained: 'It took actually a while to figure out that amputation might be a good solution.' Although he was born in Georgia, Hunter's family relocated several times when he was a child - before eventually settling in Utah. At one school, Hunter says he was 'made fun of everyday' until he eventually transferred and discovered his natural athletic talent.
In 2017, Hunter and Tara - who grew up in Agoura Hills in California - both took part in the Simplot Games in Idaho. Speaking to the Instagram account 'The Way We Met' , Hunter recalled how he laid eyes on Tara and told his best friend: 'Damn, that girl is fine. I'm gonna marry that girl.
' After Tara's magnificent 7.10m jump at the Paris Olympics, Hunter rushed to the front of the stand and yelled: 'Oh my God. Oh my God.
Baby, you're the Olympic champion! Oh my God, you did it!' Tara followed Hunter on Instagram back in 2017 and sent him a flirty DM. The couple have been together ever since Meanwhile, Tara said Hunter caught her eye while competing in the 400-metre event. She added: 'I just saw him and was like, 'Ooh, who's that?' I kinda just stared at him for a little bit.
' After the race, Tara approached Hunter and gave him a hug while he regained his breath. The pair got chatting during their medal ceremony and Tara followed Hunter on Instagram when she got home. 'I was waiting on this DM' In June 2017, the couple (pictured) officially went on their first date - with Hunter driving two hours to where Tara was training in California When Hunter followed her back, Tara sent him a flirty direct message: 'Past your bedtime!' He then replied: 'Been waiting on this DM, sorry!' Read More How Paris 2024 became the 'most romantic Olympic Games ever' - as 11 athletes get engaged Over the next few months, the pair messaged frequently - with Tara joking that she learned her future husband 'had moves'.
In June, they officially went on their first date - with Hunter driving two hours to where Tara was training in California. The couple became 'official' the following month and Tara marked their four-year anniversary in July 2021 with the Instagram caption: 'Four years ago i made the best decision ever! Woke up at 6am, drove 2 hours just to hang out with this kid who I had a huge crush on. Turns out he had a crush on me too.
' While Hunter later enrolled at the University of Arkansas, Tara went to the University of Georgia, which is an 11-hour drive away. In a 2021 interview with Elle , Tara said of their love-distance relationship: 'We balance our long-distance relationship by having communication, trust, and patience. 'Over the past four years, we learned how to communicate and operate as a couple.
We have had countless situations where we had done badly on both sides, but we learned from those lessons and genuinely want to grow our relationship. 'We try to see the other side of an argument. We try not to tell each other how we should feel.
' 'You are an Olympian!' Pictured: Tara Davis-Woodhall competes in the Women's Long Jump at the Paris Olympics last week Pictured: Hunter Woodhall seen competing in the men's 400m Paralympic Trials at a high school in Minnesota in June 2021 In summer 2021, the couple travelled to Tokyo together to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics. After Tara qualified for the Olympics, Hunter gushed on Instagram: 'TARA LANE DAVIS YOU ARE AN OLYMPIAN! I am so unbelievably proud of you, not just for what you did out there last night but for who you are. 'You have fought through more this year than some do in a lifetime.
You deserve this more than anyone, and I am so grateful I get to watch you create your legacy. TOKYO HERE WE COME!' While Tara finished sixth in the long jump, Hunter secured a bronze medal in the 400m and a silver in the 200m. Tara told People at the time: 'This will be [Hunter's] second Paralympics, but for me, it was my dream.
It was my Olympic dream. That's my dream. 'And to experience at a time and be a couple that are Olympians is just insane.
' 'You showed me the true meaning of life' The couple got engaged one month after the Tokyo Olympics and tied the knot in October 2022 Last week, Tara and Hunter (pictured) won a whole new legion of fans when their Olympics celebration went viral One month after the Tokyo Olympics ended, Tara and Hunter took a romantic trip to Mexico - where he popped the question. Sharing the happy news with her 970,000 Instagram followers, Tara wrote: 'You've showed me the true meaning of life and now I get to spend the rest of my life with you. Let me reintroduce myself as a FIANCÉ.
' Meanwhile, Hunter gushed: 'To my future wife, I promise to always be there for you. I promise to always provide for you. I promise to always love you.
'You make me a better person and I can't imagine a life without you. Thank you for trusting, supporting, and loving me the last five years. Here's to the rest of our lives.
' The couple married in October 2021 at the D'Vine Grace Vineyard in Texas, with Tara writing on Instagram: 'You have my heart Hunter Woodhall.' Speaking to People, Tara said: 'This has been such a dream — ever since we started dating, Hunter and I have talked about getting married. 'We were for real about it, we truly saw each other for the rest of our lives.
' 'Tara married right!' The heartwarming moment went viral on X - with one writing: 'I swear he is happier than she is. I got all weepy watching him. Love is beautiful' Last week, Tara and Hunter won a whole new legion of fans when their Olympics celebration went viral.
Moments before Tara took part in her event, Hunter was filmed giving her a pep talk from the sidelines. He said: 'I just want you to think about everything you've been through.' After Tara secured her 7.
10m jump, Hunter struggled to contain his tears and rushed to hug his wife as she ran up to the stands. The heartwarming pictures were shared by the official Olympics Games X account and amassed over 281,000 'likes'. One fan wrote: 'Disney is absolutely about to make these two into a movie.
They just need to wait until after the Paralympics to see what Hunter pulls off.' Another added: 'The most beautiful and mind-blowing scenes!' 'This bond is unbreakable,' a third said. Commenting on the viral moment, Hunter wrote on Instagram: 'I’m leaving Paris today to finish my preparations for the Paralympic Games.
I can’t put into words the emotions I’ve felt over the past week and my brain isn’t working well enough to explain how I feel. 'But I am just grateful and so unbelievably proud. We have the greatest team in the world, couldn’t do it without them.
Thank you all so much, you have changed our lives forever.' Instagram Paris Olympics Idaho Share or comment on this article: Inside Tara Davis and Hunter Woodhall's love story after sending fans wild with heartwarming Olympics celebration - and it all started with a flirty Instagram DM e-mail Add comment.
