Hunter Woodhall


Hunter Woodhall is an American Track and Field athlete. He made his international debut in 2015 with a silver and bronze medal at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, and later won a bronze and silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. After graduating from Syracuse High School, he became the first double amputee to earn an NCAA Division I scholarship.

Early life

Woodhall was born in Utah on February 17, 1999, with fibular hemimelia, which caused his parents to decide to amputate both his legs at 11 months old. He was homeschooled until fifth grade and upon entering public school he was bullied for his disability. Although he was originally given prosthetic legs, Woodhall switched to carbon fiber “blades” for running and joined a track team.

Career

While attending Syracuse High School, Woodhall competed with the United States National Paralympic Team in international competitions. He made his international debut in 2015 with a silver and bronze medal at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships.
By his senior year, Woodhall was ranked 20th across America in the 400m run with a time of 47.32 seconds. He competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics where he won a bronze medal in the men's 400 meter and a silver medal in the men's 200-meter. As a result, Syracuse City’s Mayor, Terry Palmer deemed September 15 “Hunter Woodhall Day.” By the conclusion of his high school education, Woodhall was named 2016 Male High School Track Athlete of the Year. Upon graduating, Woodhall became the first double-amputee track and field athlete to earn a Division I athletic scholarship, which he accepted at the University of Arkansas.
In his freshman year at the University of Arkansas, Woodhall competed in the SEC division alongside able-bodied runners. He competed in six indoor meets, running 1:58.04 over 800 meters, and seven outdoor meets, running 47.42 over 400 meters. His times earned him a bronze medal in the 4x400 at the SEC Outdoor Championships. By the conclusion of the season, he was nominated for NCAA Game Changer of the Year and named a First-Team All-America in the 4x400 Relay and Distance Medley Relay.