Athlete. Entrepreneur. Content Creator. Optimist.

Hunter Woodhall is a track and field Paralympic medalist who was born with called fibular hemimelia, a condition in which the fibula bones in his lower legs never formed. His parents made the decision to have both of his legs amputated below-the-knee when he was just 11 months old.

Homeschooled until the 5th grade, the bilateral, below-knee amputee experienced bullying when he began attending public school because kids considered him different. Despite the challenges, he was encouraged by his family and enjoyed playing many sports, including soccer, baseball, basketball, wrestling and football.  He also enjoys wakeboarding and skiing.

“It took time for me to realise that being different is what makes us unique,” he says today. “Something I used to get bullied for became one of the biggest strengths I have. I also relied heavily on my friends and family to support me throughout.”

After participating in a 5k “fun run” with his family, Hunter discovered he loved – and excelled at – running. By the time he reached high school, he was challenging able-bodied runners, and competed as a member of his high school track team, where he was a five-time Utah state champion and set records in the 400 meters and 4x400 relay. Occasionally he was criticised for using running legs because they differed from his daily-use legs, but rather than become disheartened or question himself, he says, “I channeled that negativity and relied on the support of family and friends to become a better runner and climb the athletic ladder.”  

Among Hunter’s key accomplishments was serving as a member of Team USA during the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, where he earned a silver medal in the 200m and a bronze in the 400m in the T62 category.

In 2017, Hunter became the first para-athlete to be awarded an NCAA Division I track scholarship. As a sophomore at the University of Arkansas, he was an indoor and outdoor All-American in the 4x400m in 2019, also running his personal-best 46.22 seconds in the 400m at the SEC Outdoor Championships that year. In 2020, he was the anchor runner on the university’s 4x400m team that won a silver medal at the SEC Indoor Championships, and had qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 4x400m and distance medley relays before the COVID-19 pandemic led to that event’s cancellation.

Hunter says he is grateful for his relationship with his prosthetist, who has helped him find the right combination of technologies to stay mobile and competitive. “I can’t explain how much a well-fitted prosthetic impacts my daily life. Badly fit prosthetics can cause sores that keep me from running for multiple days,” he says, “But when your prosthetist understands you and your body, it makes the process of creating and changing prosthetics so much easier. In our sport precision is key, and having something who understands how to dial that in is necessary for success.”

In addition to training for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Hunter is a popular social media content creator and an entrepreneur who runs his own clothing business. Recently, he made the decision to retire as a collegiate athlete, and continues to focus on his journey as an athlete, business-owner and social media personality.

Reflecting on the technology that helps him live a life without limitations, Hunter says, “Without Össur, I would literally not be able to run or walk. Everything that I do on a daily basis is thanks to the technology created to give me a normal life. For me, Össur does not just make prosthetic equipment, they create opportunities for people to follow their dreams. Being a member of Team Össur means representing something bigger than myself.  I hope that being a part of this team can help me inspire more people and show others what is possible.  I didn’t have anyone to look up to in a situation similar to mine when I was younger, so I want to be that person for others.”

After having experienced criticism from others over the years, he believes it’s best not to listen to the naysayers, as he says, “It’s only crazy until you do it. People are always going to tell you what you are capable of. Don’t focus on their expectations but focus on what you want to do and make decisions every day that get you closer to that goal.”