Allison Stokke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Allison Stokke Fowler

Stokke competing in 2008
Personal information
Birth name	Allison Stokke
Full name	Allison Rebecca Stokke Fowler
Born	(1989-03-22) March 22, 1989 (age 36) Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Newport Harbor High School University of California, Berkeley
Occupation	Pole Vaulter Fitness model
Height	5 feet 7 inches
Weight	128 lbs
Spouse(s)	Rickie Fowler ​ (m. 2019)​
Other interests	Golf
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Pole vault
College team	California Golden Bears
Updated on November 15, 2016.

Allison Rebecca Stokke Fowler (born March 22, 1989) is an American track and field athlete and fitness model. She is famous for breaking many American high school records in pole vaulting. When she was 17, pictures of her competing became very popular online, making her an internet phenomenon.

Stokke continued to pole vault at the University of California, Berkeley, where she competed for the California Golden Bears track team. She competed in two NCAA Division I Championships. In 2011, she earned All-American honors, an award for the best college athletes. She also won awards for her success in both sports and academics.

In 2012, she tried to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team but was not successful. She kept competing in national events until 2017. After college, she became a professional pole vaulter and a sports model for brands like Nike and Athleta.

Early Life and High School Career

Allison Stokke was born in Newport Beach, California. She grew up in a family that loved sports. Her older brother, David, was a talented gymnast. Stokke first tried gymnastics but then switched to pole vaulting in high school.

She quickly became one of the best young pole vaulters in the United States. In 2004, she won the national title for the 15/16 age group. She set a championship record with a vault of 3.81 m (12 ft 5.87500000 in).

Breaking Records

As a high school freshman in 2004, Stokke broke the American record with a vault of 3.86 m (12 ft 7.84350394 in). The next year, she set a new record for sophomores with a vault of 4.11 m (13 ft 5.68602363 in). These were the highest vaults ever by an American who was 15 or 16 years old.

Even after breaking her leg, she won the CIF California State Meet twice. In her senior year, she had a new personal best of 4.14 m (13 ft 6.86712599 in) and was ranked second in the country among high school vaulters.

Becoming Famous Online

In 2007, a journalist took photos of Stokke competing at an event in New York. The photos were posted on a track and field website. Later, a sports blog shared one of the photos. The blog's article focused on her appearance instead of her athletic skill.

The photo quickly spread across the internet. Websites and fan groups were created about her, and thousands of people started following them. Soon, major news organizations like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the BBC wrote articles about her. The story showed how quickly someone's image can spread online, often without their permission.

Dealing with Unwanted Attention

Stokke found the sudden fame difficult to handle. She received many emails and requests for photo shoots. The attention was often about her looks, not her achievements in pole vaulting.

"I worked so hard for pole vaulting and all this other stuff, and it's almost like that doesn't matter," she told The Washington Post. "Nobody sees that. Nobody really sees me."

The experience made her feel uncomfortable and worried about her safety. News articles pointed out that Stokke had not asked for this kind of fame. Her story became an example of how female athletes are sometimes judged for their appearance instead of their talent.

College and Professional Career

The online attention continued for years, and more photographers came to her competitions. Stokke earned an athletic scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied sociology.

College Athletics

In her first year on the California Golden Bears track team, she broke the school's freshman records for both indoor and outdoor pole vaulting.

She continued to improve. In her second year, she vaulted a height of 4.21 m (13 ft 9.62303150 in). She competed in major college events, including the NCAA Championships. In 2011, she placed eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships, which earned her the title of All-American. This is a special honor for the top college athletes in the country.

Professional Life

After graduating, Stokke continued her pole vaulting career. In 2012, she achieved her personal best vault of 4.36 m (14 ft 3.52854331 in). She tried to make the U.S. team for the 2012 London Olympics but did not clear the opening height at the Olympic Trials.

She also became a successful sports model. She appeared in ads for major companies like Nike, Athleta, and Uniqlo. She also worked with GoPro, creating videos that showed what it's like to pole vault by attaching a camera to her pole. These videos have been viewed millions of times on YouTube.

Stokke continued to compete in national events until 2017.

Personal Life

In 2017, Stokke began dating professional golfer Rickie Fowler. They got engaged in 2018 and were married in October 2019. The couple has two daughters.

Seasonal Bests

This table shows Stokke's best pole vault height for each year.

See also

In Spanish: Allison Rebecca Stokke para niños