Tara Davis-Woodhall entered the 2026 USATF Outdoor Championships as the athlete to beat after an outstanding season. Earlier in 2026, she produced a personal best 7.20m jump at the Los Angeles Grand Prix. Having not lost since the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Davis-Woodhall looked ready to extend her winning streak at USATF, but a late twist after her final attempt changed everything.

The competition on July 26 started with Davis-Woodhall immediately making her presence felt. She opened the final with a 6.88m jump to take the lead, finishing ahead of Monae Nichols, the 2024 World Indoor runner-up, who recorded 6.80m. However, Nichols responded in the second round with a 6.92m effort to move into first place. Davis-Woodhall improved to 6.90m, but the battle changed when NCAA champion Alyssa Jones produced a huge 6.96m jump to take control of the competition.

Davis-Woodhall was not ready to give up her title. In the final round, the Olympic champ jumped a 7.16m attempt that looked like it should clinch her fourth consecutive USATF Outdoor championships. She was celebrating the jump and thought that she had won another. But the drama was not over.

Stanford filed a protest after the attempt, and the officials examined Davis-Woodhall’s last jump. After the review, the 7.16m mark was deemed to be a foul and therefore removed from the results. Davis-Woodhall’s record of 6.90m fell to third place after that jump was no longer valid. With her 6.96m effort, Alyssa Jones made herself the USATF Outdoor champion.

The shocking decision brought an end to Davis-Woodhall’s 18-match winning streak in the long jump in the event and her first defeat in the discipline since the World Championships in Budapest in 2023. At that time, Tara finished second with a mark of 6.91m. Serbia’s Ivana Vuleta won the gold medal with 7.14m.

For Jones, it was a historic moment. She is the first collegiate athlete in 47 years to win the women’s long jump title, following Kathy McMillan of Tennessee State in 1979, per USATF records.

For Tara Davis-Woodhall, the USATF Championships were already a heartbreaking experience after her husband Hunter Woodhall faced a major setback at the same meet.

Hunter Woodhall’s foam block controversy leads to disqualification

Hunter Woodhall, Paralympic champion, competes in the T62 classification, which is for athletes with bilateral lower-limb impairments who race using prosthetic legs. Because of his prosthetic legs, Woodhall has faced challenges with his starting position.

To improve his starting position, he began using a foam block under his hand, helping him create a stronger push at the beginning of the race. The controversy unfolded during the men’s ambulatory 400m final at the USATF Para Championships on 25 July. Woodhall crossed the finish line first in 46.43 seconds and appeared to have secured the victory. However, his result was later removed after officials ruled that the foam block he used at the start was an illegal mechanical aid.

Before the race, officials had warned Woodhall that using the foam block could lead to disqualification. Despite the warning, he chose to compete while challenging the decision. After finishing first, the disqualification was applied, taking away his victory.

Following the decision, Woodhall said, “I believe you have to fight for what is right, and I believe what they did today is wrong. We should be trying to push the sport forward and help athletes with disabilities; they deal with enough stuff day to day. I am so disappointed with USATF.” He believes para athletes should be allowed to use approved adaptations that help them compete on equal terms rather than being penalized for equipment that supports their needs.