Alysha Newman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alysha Newman

Newman in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Alysha Eveline Newman
Born	(1994-06-29) June 29, 1994 (age 31) London, Ontario, Canada
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	63 kg (139 lb)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Pole vault
University team	University of Miami
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	4.85 m (15 ft 11 in) NR, Paris, France 2024 4.83 m (15 ft 10 in) NRi, Clermont-Ferrand, France 2024
Medal record Women's pole vault Representing  Canada Olympic Games Bronze 2024 Paris Pole vault Commonwealth Games Gold 2018 Gold Coast Pole vault Bronze 2014 Glasgow Pole vault Pan American Games Bronze 2019 Lima Pole vault Pan American U20 Championships Gold 2013 Medellín Pole vault

Alysha Eveline Newman (born June 29, 1994) is a Canadian athlete who competes in track and field. She is best known for the pole vault event. Alysha won a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She also won a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Alysha holds the Canadian national record for women's pole vault. She also holds the Commonwealth Games record. She represented Canada at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Summer Olympics. Her bronze medal in 2024 made her the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in pole vaulting. Her vault of 4.85 meters also set a new Canadian national record.

Early Life and Sports Beginnings

Alysha Newman's first sport was gymnastics. She had to stop gymnastics at age 13. This was because she injured her lower back. After taking a year off, she thought about playing ice hockey or trying diving. She then chose track and field. A coach suggested pole vaulting to her. This was a good fit because of her gymnastics background.

College Athletics Career

In 2013, Alysha joined Eastern Michigan University. She became the Mid-American Conference champion. She also competed in the NCAA tournament.

Later, she moved to the University of Miami. Her coach, Jerel Langley, also moved there. Alysha finished her studies in 2016. She majored in exercise physiology and minored in nutrition.

On April 9, 2016, Alysha cleared 4.60 meters. This happened at the University of Miami's Hurricane Alumni Invitational. This jump broke the University of Miami school record. It also broke the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record. Plus, it set a new Canadian national record for women's pole vault. In June, Alysha won a silver medal. This was at the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She ended her college career as a six-time NCAA Division I All-American.

Alysha Newman's Athletic Journey

Alysha competed in the pole vault at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. She won a bronze medal with a vault of 3.80m. Her 4.60m vault in 2016 ranked her fourth in the world.

In July 2016, she joined Canada's Olympic team. At the Olympics, she vaulted 4.45m in the qualification round. She did not make it to the finals.

Alysha competed at "Vault the Park" in London, Ontario. This was a street vaulting event. She cleared 4.61m, setting a new Canadian record.

On April 8, 2017, she broke her own national record again. She vaulted 4.71m in Coral Gables, Florida. In August, she reached the finals at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. She finished seventh with a vault of 4.65m.

Major Achievements and Challenges

In March 2018, Alysha placed sixth at the 2018 World Indoor Championships. She cleared 4.70m. In April, she competed at her second Commonwealth Games. She won the gold medal with a height of 4.75m. This equaled her personal best. It also set a new Commonwealth Games record.

In May 2018, Alysha faced a challenge. Her poles were destroyed while traveling to a competition. She had to borrow poles from a local club. She still competed and placed seventh. Later, she tore a tendon in her knee. This happened during a warm-up.

In February 2019, Alysha won the 2019 Indoor Meeting iKarlsruhe. She cleared 4.71m. This set a new Canadian indoor pole vault record. In July 2019, she won the Stabhochsprung Jockgrim meet. She set a new personal best of 4.77m.

Newman at the 2019 Birmingham Grand Prix

At the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Alysha won a bronze medal. She cleared 4.55m in the pole vault event. She later won the 2019 Meeting de Paris. This was her first Diamond League win. She set a new Canadian record of 4.82m. This jump ranked her among the top vaulters of all time. She repeated 4.82m in Zürich, finishing third. She placed fifth at the pole vault event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships. She cleared 4.80m there.

Overcoming Injuries and Setbacks

In 2021, Alysha suffered a concussion. This happened after a fall. She continued to struggle with symptoms. She did not perform well at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She later sought more medical help. She started a new recovery plan in October 2021.

As she recovered, Alysha trained at York University. She even tried multi-event training. In May 2022, she competed in the heptathlon. She finished fourth. Shortly after, she won the Johnny Loaring Classic. She vaulted 4.61m. At the Canadian championships, she won the pole vault. She also qualified for the 100 meters hurdles. She did not make the final at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. She cleared only 4.35m. She was disappointed but decided to continue her season.

Alysha was named to the Canadian team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She was to compete in both pole vault and 100m hurdles. However, an undiagnosed heel fracture affected her. She withdrew from the vault midway. She placed sixth with 4.25m. She did not compete in the hurdles. She then ended her competition season.

After two tough years, her sports funding was almost cut. But she successfully appealed this decision. She started working with a new mental performance coach. She then found success in 2023. She won the pole vault series on the 2023 World Athletics Indoor Tour. She cleared 4.78m at the final event. The 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest were disappointing. She cleared only 4.5m and did not reach the final.

Olympic Success in 2024

Alysha had a successful indoor season in 2024. She won the All-Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand on February 22. She raised her Canadian national record to 4.83m. She was named co-captain of the Canadian team. This was for the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. However, she sprained her ankle two days before the event. She had to withdraw from the final.

After twelve weeks of recovery, Alysha returned to competing. She achieved an outdoor season's best of 4.76m. This was at the 2024 London Athletics Meet. She came second there. She was named to her third Canadian Olympic team. She finished seventh in the qualification round. This meant she reached the Olympic final for the first time. This was her first championship final since 2019. Alysha then set a new national record of 4.85m. She won the bronze medal. This was the first Olympic medal for a Canadian woman in pole vault. It was also the first Canadian pole vault medal since 1912. She said she "never gave up on myself this year."

Personal Life

Alysha Newman was recognized in a popular magazine in 2021. She has also used business ventures to help support her income as an athlete. She mentioned that amateur athletes often do not make a lot of money.

Results

NCAA

National

See also

In Spanish: Alysha Newman para niños