Hunter Woodhall

Started: He took up the sport in 2009 in Utah, United States of America. "I played pretty much every sport you can think of like soccer, basketball, skiing, wrestling, basketball, and track. My parents never let me use my legs as an excuse to give up on myself. I appreciate that attitude looking back as it set the tone for my life. As I got older I started to find out what I like to do and what I was good at and kept practising in those areas." (killcliff.com, 06 Feb 2019; Destiny Washington YouTube channel, 29 Jan 2018; Athlete, 17 Jul 2017; teamusa.org, 23 Jul 2017) Reason: "I had a very difficult time fitting in when I was younger, so the best way to feel like I was a part of something was doing [things] that my brothers did. My family did a lot of five-kilometre fun runs and I wanted to feel like I was a part of something with them, so I started doing races with them. It was just something that I felt very comfortable doing. Something that took me away from whatever was happening in the world, that didn't matter because I felt good." (paralympic.org, 09 May 2017) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (nbcsports.com, 02 Jun 2023) Awards: In 2017 he was named the Gatorade State Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year for Utah, United States of America. (usatodayhss.com, 22 Jun 2017) He was named the 2016 Male High School Track Athlete of the Year by US Paralympics. (teamusa.org, 19 Oct 2016) In 2016 he was named a US Paralympics Track and Field High School All-American in the 200m and 400m. (teamusa.org, 19 Oct 2016) Additional Info: WORLDS DISAPPOINTMENT He had to withdraw from the T62 400m at the 2023 World Championships in Paris, France, due to a malfunctioning prosthetic. "[Going into 2024] I've started with, let's make sure that the things we're relying on, just like a Formula One team would do, are right. Let's control the controllable and really try to take all those things that can go wrong out of the equation, so we can win more medals." (usparatf.org, 11 Dec 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES He has served as an ambassador for Shriners Hospital for Children, a network of medical facilities across North America that provide specialised health care for children. "It's definitely a big part of my life. Especially growing up when I didn't really have anyone to look up to and I didn't really know anyone in my same situation. So if I can be that person for somebody else and I can make their situation a little easier then that's all that matters to me." (Facebook page, 14 Mar 2020; Destiny Washington YouTube channel, 29 Jan 2018; teamusa.org, 2016) BUSINESS Along with fellow University of Arkansas students Jonathan Montgomery and Matt Horner, he co-founded a business called Giant Hoodies, selling oversized clothing. (forbes.com, 28 Aug 2021)

Sporting Relatives: His wife Tara Davis-Woodhall represented the United States of America in athletics at the 2020 and 2024 editions of the Olympic Games, winning gold in long jump at the 2024 Games in Paris. (SportsDeskOnline, 15 Aug 2024; edition.cnn.com, 09 Apr 2024)