Tara Davis-Woodhall isn’t just showing up to compete in Stockholm. She’s arriving with a mission. Left off Michael Johnson’s hyped Grand Slam Track lineup, the American long jumper is now using the Wanda Diamond League stage to speak her truth the only way she knows how. By soaring high, commanding crowds, and putting her sport in the spotlight. 

Facing Olympic gold medalist Malaika Mihambo in the BAUHAUS-Galan meet, Davis-Woodhall knows she’s in for a battle. But for her, this isn’t just about medals or rankings. It’s about delivering a performance that resonates beyond the sandpit. After being overlooked by Johnson’s new competition series, she’s determined to remind the world that long jump isn’t just worthy of attention. It demands it. “I enjoy every single moment… being on the track, being able to control a crowd,” she shared, revealing the emotional energy that fuels her performances.

With her signature energy and unapologetic presence, Davis-Woodhall transforms the runway into a stage. Whether it’s a spontaneous playlist or her infectious charisma, she thrives in moments when the spotlight meets the jump board. “It’s my dream to just, you know, show the world what long jump is,” she said. And on June 15, she’ll do just that. With style, spark, and serious intent. “The playlist is random every time I compete,” she explained. “I think it’s just me. I think it’s just who I am,” added Davis-Woodhall. It’s not just a jump. It’s a performance. A statement. A celebration of a discipline that doesn’t always get its due.

And that celebration is coming with an attitude. Davis-Woodhall says she’s “bringing ice to the sport.” Her way of describing the cool confidence and flair she infuses into every meet. But behind that swagger is also purpose. She’s stepping into the Diamond League opener not just as a contender, but as a representative for her event. And with Mihambo lined up beside her, the stakes are perfectly set to make headlines.

The long jump in Stockholm won’t just be a contest. It’ll be a stage for Tara Davis-Woodhall’s statement. After being left out of the Grand Slam spotlight, she’s ready to create one of her own.

Sparks fly as Tara Davis-Woodhall slammed Michael Johnson’s vision

Now, as it appeared, it seemed as if Michael Johnson lit the match and Tara Davis-Woodhall poured gasoline on it. The Olympic legend’s bold new venture, Grand Slam Track, was meant to revolutionize the sport. Instead, it triggered a firestorm, especially from field athletes who felt excluded. Davis-Woodhall, the reigning Olympic long jump champion, didn’t hold back. “About my sport, it doesn’t need saving, at all. It’s actually, Michael, you’re ruining the sport if you’re trying to save just track,” she said in a heated video posted with her husband, Paralympic medalist Hunter Woodhall. She even added, “We don’t need your saving. You’re long gone, your time has passed.”

The backlash stemmed from Johnson’s remark, “I think I can save track, I don’t think I can save track and field.” To Davis-Woodhall, that was erasure. She pointed to herself, “Hi, if you can’t tell” as proof that field events matter. Her frustration wasn’t just personal. It echoed years of feeling sidelined. Hunter Woodhall too piled on. He bluntly stated, “Stop coming back and being so self-important and just saying wild things… because no one cares.” But while the duo questioned Johnson’s relevance, the irony is hard to miss. Johnson was in Paris, commentating for the BBC, a job he’s held since 2001.

The clash underscores a deeper divide within the sport. Michael Johnson was building something new, an athlete-centric, TV-friendly model. But in doing so, he’s inadvertently drawn a line between track and field. Tara Davis-Woodhall crossed that line swinging. Whether the sport moves forward together or fractures further may depend on how Johnson responds to the shot she just took.