Tara Davis-Woodhall opens up on mental health struggles after Eugene victory

EUGENE – Olympic and world champion Tara Davis-Woodhall spoke about her mental health struggles, describing her week as “really difficult” going into the Prefontaine Classic on July 4, when she won the long jump.

The American retained her title at the Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon, fending off Italian Larissa Iapichino by just 1cm after jumping 7.13m.

“Just to get here was a struggle this week,” Davis-Woodhall, 27, said after her victory.

“We’re dealing with some mental health problems. Just, you know, I have depression. I have anxiety. This week was really difficult.”

The two-time Olympian had previously spoken about her mental health struggles, including periods when she considered quitting the sport.

Davis-Woodhall won the long jump gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and followed it up with the world championship in Tokyo in 2025.

“I couldn’t fathom just being here for some reason. I couldn’t get myself to, like, envision it,” she said.

“So the fact that I showed up today, the fact that I even gave myself a chance, is really big for me. And then to come out with a win, it just puts into perspective that I just have to give myself a chance every single time.”

In the women’s 100m, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden edged out her fellow American Sha’Carri Richardson at the line to win a scintillating race.

The 25-year-old remained unbeaten over 100m since 2024, but there were plenty of surprises elsewhere.

The US’ 18-year-old Tate Taylor powered to a men’s 200m victory over Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, 21-year-old Nigerian Kanyinsola Ajayi beat Jamaica’s reigning world champion Oblique Seville in the men’s 100m and Kenyan Faith Kipyegon suffered her first Diamond League defeat since 2022.

Jefferson-Wooden, who clinched three gold medals at the 2025 world championships, won in 10.78sec, just in front of Richardson’s 10.79sec.

“I wanted it more, so I got it,” she said.

Adaejah Hodge, the 20-year-old from the British Virgin Islands who clocked 10.63sec at the NCAA US collegiate championships on the same Hayward Field track in June, was third in 10.8sec.

In the men’s 200m, Texas teen Taylor charged to a personal best of 19.75sec, ahead of Tebogo on 19.93sec.

“I just can’t really believe it,” he said, calling his timing “crazy ridiculous”.

Ajayi equalled his Nigerian record of 9.84sec in the men’s 100m in his Diamond League debut to beat Seville, whose time of 9.89sec was seven-hundredths of a second outside his world-leading time in 2026. American Christian Coleman was third in 9.95.

Jamal Britt edged out newly minted world record-holder Ja’Kobe Tharp in the 110m hurdles with 12.86sec.

That made him the fifth-fastest performer of all time and spoilt the professional debut of fellow American Tharp, who was second in 12.91sec after eclipsing the nearly 14-year-old world record with a time of 12.75sec at the NCAA championships in June.

Jamaica’s Demario Prince was third in 13.01sec.

American Nikki Hiltz pulled off an upset in the women’s mile, surging late to win in a world-leading 4min 17.49sec.

Kipyegon had dictated the pace, but Hiltz and fellow Kenyan Dorcus Ewoi powered past in the final straight, with Ewoi taking second in 4:17.62 as Kipyegon settled for third in 4:17.80.

Kenyan world champion Lilian Odira also used a late kick to win the women’s 800m, surging past Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson to win in 1:56.19, with the Briton clocking 1:56.73. REUTERS, AFP