Olympian Tara Davis-Woodhall Doesn’t Break Under Pressure

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with celebrities and influencers to talk about all things wellness, from daily routines to hacks for getting a good night’s sleep. Here, Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall talks about her post-workout recovery routine, what it’s like being in a dual-Olympian relationship, and her training plan for the Los Angeles Olympics.

To say Tara Davis-Woodhall and her husband, fellow athlete Hunter Woodhall, are a power couple is an understatement. The Lululemon ambassadors train together daily and have a dedicated social media following — and their fan base grew even more after a viral moment at the 2024 Paris Olympics, when Tara ran to the stands to find Hunter after winning a gold medal for the women’s long jump.

“We usually have a hugging moment after any competition, especially if I jump well, but I didn’t plan that one at all,” she says of the movie-worthy scene. “He’s always in the front row, so it was easy to spot him. It was such a surreal moment and a dream come true.”

Davis-Woodhall, however, was already an Internet darling when she headed to the Olympics and sailed 7.1 meters through the air to win her medal. The 25-year-old athlete has been undefeated in her sport for the past two years, winning World Champion and U.S. National Champion titles.

She’s also been crowned “America’s Cowgirl” thanks to her iconic cowboy hats and boots, and the fact she was born in Mesquite, Texas. When she isn’t competing on the field, she posts content for her nearly 2 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, and she also has more than 900,000 YouTube subscribers on a channel she shares with her husband, who won gold in the men’s 400-meter T62 at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

Below, Davis-Woodhall talks about how she deals with stress, her intense training schedule ahead of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, and the one thing she always looks for when she lands in a new city.

What was your favorite part of the 2024 Olympics?

The experiences I had with Hunter. We didn’t get to see each other at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, so it was really nice to experience the Olympics and Paralympics together this time around and cheer each other on. I loved looking over at him in the stands and having conversations with him before my jumps.

How do you cope with the pressure before it’s your turn to compete?

I actually enjoy it because I know I’ve done everything I could possibly do to train and get ready. I know all my hard work will pay off, so I thrive off the excitement. It’s why I clap with the crowd to get all eyes on me. It’s super fun.

How do you stay well while you’re on the go?

[Hunter and I] make routines everywhere we land. On the first day, we try to figure out where we want to go for coffee and lunch. We have each other, too, so that makes it a lot easier.

Everyone loves your relationship. Is there anything the public doesn’t know?

We’re just two kids living a dream, honestly. We’re not anything that people wouldn’t expect. What you see is what you get with us.

Do you and Hunter ever train together?

We have the same coach and train together every day. We’re getting ready to go to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, which I’m very excited about because it’s where I grew up.

What does a typical training session look like?

We’ll have recovery days where we do the sauna, hyperbaric chamber, and stretching. On other days we’ll do a heavy lift. I love hang snatches and hang cleans. Once we get into the full swing of training season, we’ll switch to two workouts a day, which means we’ll lift in the mornings and then practice in the afternoon.

Do you and Hunter ever get competitive?

Definitely. Hunter’s really good at one thing, and I’m really good at one thing, so if we try to beat the other person, it makes us better athletes.

How do you wind down after a long day?

I’ll hang out with Hunter and our dogs, Milo and Winnie, and my black cat, Azula. Right now we’re watching From on Apple TV, and I’m also into Love Is Blind.

Do you have any other go-to workouts?

I tried to do Pilates one time, but the 60-year-old ladies in the class were showing me up, so I was like, “OK, maybe not.”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.