Tara Davis-Woodhall already had an Olympic gold medal hanging up at home when she took to the runway on Sunday, Sept. 14, for the women’s long jump final at the 2025 World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo.
She wasted no time in adding another gold to her growing collection.
The Agoura High School product led off the competition with a bang. She leapt 7.08 meters, or 23 feet, 2.75 inches — farther than anyone else in the world had jumped all year and farther than any other competitor would jump the rest of the day.
Davis-Woodhall added an extra two inches to her mark for good measure with a fourth-round leap of 23-4.75 inches before officially claiming her second global gold medal, but the first of her career at the World Track and Field Championships.
It was a sweet return to Japan National Stadium for Davis-Woodhall. The venue hosted the track and field competition for the Olympic Games in 2021, where she finished sixth.
“The last time I was here, I left crying, not knowing what I wanted to do with my career,” Davis-Woodhall told reporters after the victory. “Now, being back as the Olympic champion, being able to come out here and show them what long jump is, be the Tara that I have always dreamed of, it feels really good.”
Former Newbury Park High distance star Nico Young finished fifth in the men’s 10,000 meters in a time of 28 minutes, 56.62 seconds.It was an impressive performance for the up-and-comer in American distance running, racing in just his second global final after placing 12th at the Paris Olympics last year. Young was the top American finisher in the race, leading teammates Grant Fisher (eighth) and Graham Blanks (11th).
The race was tactical, with a crowded field of 10 men crossing the finish line at the bell lap. Young and Fisher were contention for a medal with less than 200 meters to run, but neither were able to close with the leaders as Frenchman Jimmy Gressier won in 28:55.77.
Young was critical of his tactics after the race.
“I am happy with how I closed, but I am disappointed in the placing,” Young said. “I think if I started from further up, I could have been in the top three. There was a point in the last 500 meters where I should have made a move, and didn’t. It got me.”
The 23-year-old isn’t finished at the World Athletics Championships. He will race again in the qualifying round of the men’s 5,000 meters at 4:05 a.m. PDT Friday. The race will be streamed live on Peacock and USA will carry live television coverage from the evening session from 4-6:30 a.m.
The final for the men’s 5,000 meters will go off at 3:50 a.m. Sunday and will be streamed live on Peacock and televised on CNBC from 3:30-8 a.m. NBC will have the delayed recap on television beginning at 9 a.m.
Dominic Massimino is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at dominic.massimino@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsdominic on Twitter and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Davis-Woodhall wins gold, Young fifth at World Track and Field Championships
Reporting by Dominic Massimino, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
