Olympic long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall has said she feels “lucky and blessed to be alive” after a serious car crash while on her way to training.
The 27-year-old from America was in a “very scary” head-on collision last week. She suffered what she called a severe concussion.
Davis-Woodhall said she was lucky to come out of the crash without major injuries, even though both cars were damaged beyond repair.
“Luckily I walked away without any major injuries,” Davis-Woodhall wrote on social media on Thursday.
“Right now, I’m working with my team and doctors to get healthy, but I’m not sure if I will be ready to compete at Ultimate Championships next week. More updates to come.”
The reigning world champion said the crash happened at a bad time in her training, as she was reaching her peak.
“It’s really unfortunate timing; I am at the peak of my training right now,” she said.
“I’m as fast as I’ve ever been. I’m as strong as I’ve ever been. So this decision is very difficult for me. I don’t know where I am right now.”
Davis-Woodhall has not ruled out competing at the first-ever World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, which start on September 11.
The three-day event will feature Olympic, world, and Diamond League champions, plus the top athletes of the year. Each event winner will take home a prize of £111,000.
Davis-Woodhall won Olympic gold in the women’s long jump at the Paris 2024 Games and added the world title in Tokyo the next year.
But right now, her main focus is on recovering from the crash and seeing if she can be fit enough to compete in Budapest.
The American athlete said this experience showed her the importance of life beyond sports, even with the bad timing of the accident.
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