Tara Davis-Woodhall's participation at next week's World Athletics Ultimate Championship is in doubt after the Olympic and world long jump champion revealed she was involved in a head-on car collision while driving to practice last week.
Davis-Woodhall, who won Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 and successfully defended her world title in Tokyo last year, announced the news on Instagram.
"Last week I was involved in a head on collision on my way to practice," she wrote. "Luckily I walked away without any major injuries. However, a severe concussion and other injuries have not allowed me to train. At this point I'm working with my team and doctors to get healthy, but I'm not sure if I will be ready to compete at Ultimate Championships next week. More updates to come."
Speaking further on an Ultimate Championship athlete conference call on Wednesday, Davis-Woodhall gave more detail on the incident. "It was a head on collision and I'm not able to train," she said. "I'm pretty down right now and am trying to work out how best to get back on the horse. I had severe concussion but no life threatening injuries.
"It happened on the way to practise in a car park. Both cars were totalled. It was very scary and I'm lucky to be alive. For now I'm taking it day by day. It's unfortunate as I was at the peak of my training."
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The 27-year-old's Olympic and world titles earned her an automatic invitation to the inaugural Ultimate Championship, which takes place in Budapest from September 11-13. She had also been announced as one of the event's "Ultimate Stars" alongside Mondo Duplantis, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles, taking on a role as lead content creator across the championship's build-up and coverage.
Her absence, should she be forced to withdraw, would be a blow to the long jump field and to the event's own promotional plans.
