Tara Davis-Woodhall ‘lucky to be alive’ after car crash

Olympic long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall says she is “lucky and blessed to be alive” after being involved in a car crash.

The 27-year-old American was on her way to training last week when she was involved in a “very scary” head-on collision, leaving her with a “severe” concussion.

While not ruling herself out of this month’s inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, the reigning world champion says she has been unable to train since the accident.

“Luckily I walked away without any major injuries,” Davis-Woodhall wrote on social media.

“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.”

Davis-Woodhall said her injuries were not life-threatening but that both cars, which were going at about 20mph, were written off.

“It’s really unfortunate timing; I am at the peak of my training right now,” she said.

“I’m as fast as I’ve ever been. I’m as strong as I’ve ever been. So this decision is very difficult for me. I don’t know where I am right now.”

The championships in Hungary start on 11 September, where athletes will compete for a top prize of £111,000.

The competition brings together Olympic, world and Diamond League champions, as well as the year’s leading performers in a three-day end-of-season event.

Davis-Woodhall won long jump gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, before winning the Worlds in Tokyo a year later.