SAINT-DENIS, France – Hunter Woodhall surged down the final stretch with determination, overtaking defending champion Johannes Floors to clinch the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter T63 event.
Woodhall finished with a time of 46.36 seconds, finishing 0.54 seconds ahead of the German competitor.
At 25 years old, Woodhall secured his first Paralympic title after previously earning bronze medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Paralympic Games in this same event.
“This is a lesson in shooting for the stars and setting big goals – dream big, show up, do your best, and you never know what might happen,” Woodhall shared with reporters following his emotional victory. “I was hungry and I wanted it so badly.”
He credited his wife, Olympic long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, for instilling in him the importance of self-affirmation and journaling. “I have been writing in my journal that I will be a Paralympic champion, and now it’s true,” he said.
Celebrating his long-awaited gold, Woodhall reflected on his past near misses at world championships, where he settled for silver twice and faced a disqualification in 2024 due to a technical issue with his prosthetics.
The adaptive athlete from Fayetteville, Arkansas, rose to the occasion on a pleasant Friday evening at Stade de France, where the temperature was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Although his winning time was 0.27 seconds shy of his personal best of 46.09, it ultimately didn’t matter.
“There is always pressure to perform in athletics – it’s heart-wrenching and challenging, and you never know what might happen. But I wanted to give everyone supporting me a show. I know how many tuned in for the Paralympics, and this is growth for the Paralympics. Everyone is paying attention, and I wanted to help showcase that,” Woodhall explained.
He expressed his gratitude for the incredible reception from the crowd. After his victory, Woodhall celebrated by rushing to the sidelines to share a heartfelt, spinning hug with Tara, creating a moment that seemed to last longer than the race itself.