QUALIFIED? CHECK. World-leading jumps? Check. Drama? Check. Call it a classic Tara Davis-Woodhall performance.
The Olympic champion started out with two big leaps, however she fouled on both. That put her into a bind. One more misstep and she’d be going home empty-handed. Not the kind of headline she came looking for.
Olympic bronze medalist Jasmine Moore held the lead with her round 2 leap of 22-4½ (6.82) — a mark just a centimeter better than her round 1 effort. Davis-Woodhall didn’t need to go beyond that. She only needed to better 20-10½ (6.36) to break into the top 8 and get three more jumps.
So she opted for safe. She barreled down the runway at top speed and touched down well before the board, flying out to 22-8½ (6.92). That took the lead, briefly. Three jumps later, World Indoor champ Claire Bryant went farther, touching down at 22-10½ (6.97), a mark that was barely illegally-aided at 2.1, the only windy mark of the day.
With a new jumping order, TDW unleashed herself for her remaining efforts. In round 4, with plenty to spare on the board, she soared to a 23-4 (7.11) world leader. On her next attempt, again not perfect at the board, she went a little farther, to 23-4½ (7.12).
Quanesha Burks moved into 3rd in that round with her 22-7¾ (6.90). In the final stanza, Stanford’s Alyssa Jones hit the same mark, a PR for her. She would end up 4th. Moore finished her day with a 21-7½ (6.59) and finished 5th.
On her final effort, Davis-Woodhall landed at 22-8 (6.91), and Bryant wrapped the event with a 22-7¼ (6.89).
Of her crucial third jump, the victor said, “Coach said steer to the back of the board. And that’s what I did.”
Now with three straight national titles, she recalled what happened in ’22, when she fouled out: “I didn’t want to repeat that.”
The mission for ’25 is clear, she said: “I just wanted to make the team. I got 2nd place at the World Championships [in ’23].” Now, she indicates, she hopes she is on the runway that will bring her a World gold to go with her Olympic gold.
For now: “I am satisfied. I mean, world lead, I can’t be disappointed in that.”
WOMEN’S LONG JUMP RESULTS
July 31
1. Tara Davis-Woodhall (Nik) 23-4½ (7.12) out PR (WL, AL)
(f, f, 22-8½, 23-4 [WL, AL], 23-4½, 22-8) (f, f, 6.92, 7.11, 7.12, 6.91);
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