Tara Davis-Woodhall is gearing up for the second edition of Athlos NYC, set for October 10 at Icahn Stadium in New York. As an Olympic gold medalist in the long jump, she’s become a major star in the sport. However, she’s also spoken out about how women’s field events often get overlooked, like when GST overlooked track events; she did say a word or two, even though they’re just as thrilling as the sprinting events that often steal the spotlight.

With Athlos NYC returning, Tara is all-in when it comes to showing the world how exciting the long jump can be. She’s been closely involved in shaping the event, making sure that it’s not only competitive but also accessible to a wider audience. Tara’s goal? To break down the complexity of the long jump in a way that everyone can understand. She compares her personal best of 7.10 meters to a basketball jump from the 3-point line to the rim, giving fans an easy way to picture just how impressive that distance is.

This year’s Athlos NYC will feature the long jump as its only field event, and Tara Davis-Woodhall’s behind-the-scenes work will help make it a standout competition. The event, which was a huge success last year with millions of viewers, is set to showcase some of the biggest names in women’s athletics, including sprinter Gabby Thomas and hurdler Masai Russell, who both took home gold from the Paris Olympics.

But a few months before the event, Tara shared her thoughts on the event when we know her popularity has elevated the long jump to the level of well-known sprinters like Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. She’s playing a key role in growing the sport and making field events as exciting as their sprint counterparts.

“Yeah, my back hurts from carrying the sport,” Davis-Woodhall said to the NY Times, with her signature smile, acknowledging the weight she’s taken on to help move the sport forward. She further added, “It’s an honor to represent field events and bring the long jump to the forefront at Athlos, NYC,” she said.

“Athlos is giving our discipline the spotlight it deserves, and I’m proud to be part of that movement. I can’t wait to compete and give the crowd a real sense of what makes this event so special.” Tara Davis-Woodhall dedicates herself to upgrading field events, particularly the long jump, because she understands the need to transform women’s participation in track and field competition.

She takes pride in representing the event because it warrants full attention. Tara supports the growing momentum toward the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by attracting increased attention and enthusiasm toward women’s track competition. Her actions communicate to the GST league that all track and field events demand recognition as much as vaults. And in doing so, she is indirectly showing the GST league that track events also matter. Do you remember the old controversy?

Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall call out Grand Slam Track

Olympic long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, together with her husband, Paralympic gold medalist Hunter Woodhall, publicly condemned Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League because it did not feature field events during early 2025. According to social media videos, Tara maintained that track and field exists for a specific reason, given the sport’s dual nature of track running and field events.

In her statement, Hunter agreed with her wife by criticizing Johnson’s approach to saving track and field since he failed to grasp all its elements. The inaugural Grand Slam Track event took place in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4 to 6, 2025. Despite featuring prominent athletes like Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the event struggled with low attendance.

Reports indicated that the main grandstands never reached 50% capacity, and many fans had difficulty accessing the venue due to limited parking and inadequate local marketing. Hunter Woodhall humorously commented on the situation, posting a photo of the empty stands with the caption, “Thank goodness he’s ‘saving’ track.”​ In response to the backlash, Michael Johnson expressed his respect for field events and stated his intention to include them in future Grand Slam Track events.

He acknowledged the criticism and emphasized his commitment to the sport as a whole. But who is bringing sports closer and throwing serious cash at athletes? Well, both Athlos NYC and GST are throwing serious cash at athletes, but the vibe (and the numbers) is pretty different. Athlos NYC, which is all about celebrating women’s track and field, is offering a total prize pot of $663,000. Winners of each event snag $60,000, and on top of that, 10% of the event’s total revenue gets split evenly among all the athletes.

Meanwhile, GST is swinging even bigger with a jaw-dropping $12.6 million total prize pool. Event winners, if Tara Davis-Woodhall wins, pocket $100,000, and even eighth-place finishers walk away with $10,000. Plus, contracted athletes are getting paid base salaries, making it a more structured, almost league-style setup. While Athlos NYC is about spotlighting women and giving field events like the long jump their overdue respect, GST is trying to “save” the sport on a global stage, with money doing a lot of the talking.