Allison Rebecca Stokke (born March 22, 1989) is an American track and field athlete and fitness model.
She broke a number of American records for high school pole vaulting.
At the age of seventeen, images of her were widely shared on the internet resulting in her becoming an internet phenomenon.
Her unsought sex symbol status was covered nationally and internationally and informed debate on the sexualization of sportswomen and of young people via the internet.
Stokke continued to pole vault, attending University of California, Berkeley and competing for their California Golden Bears collegiate track team.
She competed at two NCAA Division I Championships, achieving All-American honours at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Championships, and earned regional level all-academic honours through her combined athletic and academic performances.
She attempted to make the American Olympic team at the 2012 United States Olympic Trials but failed to record a height. She continued vaulting at national level meetings up to 2017.
After college, she became a professional vaulter and sports model for Nike and Athleta, among others.
Born to Allan and Cindy Stokke in Newport Beach, California, Stokke grew up in a sporting family – her older brother David was a national level youth gymnast.
After trying gymnastics, she took up pole vaulting while attending Newport Harbor High School and soon became one of the country’s best young vaulters.
Picture courtesy – Allison Stokke (Instagram)
