Olympic and world long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall said she had endured a difficult week managing depression and anxiety before successfully defending her title at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday.
The American edged Italy’s Larissa Iapichino by one centimetre at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon, winning with a leap of 7.13 metres to Iapichino’s 7.12.
“Just to get here was a struggle this week,” Davis-Woodhall said after her victory.
“We’re dealing with some mental health problems. Just, you know, I have depression. I have anxiety. This week was really difficult.”
The two-time Olympian has previously spoken openly about her mental health, including periods when she considered stepping away from the sport.
Davis-Woodhall won the world title in Tokyo last year before claiming Olympic gold at the Paris Games in 2024.
“I couldn’t fathom just being here for some reason. I couldn’t get myself to, like, envision it,” she said.
“So the fact that I showed up today, the fact that I even gave myself a chance is really big for me, and then to come out with a win, it just puts into perspective that I just have to give myself a chance every single time.”
