Allison Stokke: Teenage Pole Vaulting Star — Where is She Now?

When you’re an athlete, your biggest hope is to gain recognition for your accomplishments on the field. However, sometimes you receive negative press as a result of your poor attitude or lack of effort in the classroom. On the other hand, there are times when you receive unwanted attention as a result of circumstances beyond your control. That’s the story of one-time pole vaulter Allison Stokke, who in 2007 at the age of 17 experienced what a lot of female athletes have to endure: a focus on sexualization rather than on their feats. Let’s take a look back at one photo that changed Stokke’s life — and not for the better — and what she’s up to today.

Sports Run in the Family

It was natural that the native of Newport Beach, California would thrive in sports. After all, her brother David was a gymnast, competing at the national level in his youth. Allison gave gymnastics a try, but came to realize it wasn’t her thing. However, she discovered that she had potential as a pole vaulter.

Among the Best

A quick learner, Stokke rose to the top, winning the US national title in the 15/16 age group in 2004 with a record-setting vault of 12 ft 6 in. She subsequently set American high school records during both her freshman and sophomore years. Although she broke her leg, it didn’t stop her from twice at the CIF California State Meet. As a senior, she ranked second best pole vaulter in the country, and finished 8th place at the national junior championships.

One Photo Changed Everything

In 2007, a California journalist took a photo of Stokke while she was competing at a track and field event in New York. A few months later, a popular male-oriented sports blog called With Leather (now known as Uproxx) uploaded that photo with the headline “Pole Vaulting is Sexy, Barely Legal.” The journalist threatened to sue the website for using his photo without permission, but at that point it was too late. The photo of Allison had gone viral. Pandora’s Box had been unleashed.

National Attention

Pretty soon, somebody had launched what was essentially an Allison Stokke-worshipping website, featuring photos of her at various competitions. It generated thousands of followers, many of whom probably didn’t have the best of intentions. Soon, major US newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and Washington Post, and even popular Australian and German publications ran stories on Stokke. CBS used the occasion to highlight the problems that can arise when the internet is used to sexualize minors.