Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman says she gets sexualized no matter what she wears

Newman, 31, recently appeared in a photoshoot for Maxim magazine and opened up about her life and career.

"When I was younger, I never understood why the world divided things into categories: athlete or model, power in sport or power in beauty. To me, they were always different expressions of the same thing," she told Maxim. "I've spent most of my career proving otherwise."

At the Paris Olympics, Newman broke the Canadian national record with a 4.85 m vault to win bronze, becoming the first female athlete in the country to do so. She also went viral by twerking at the crowd.

"The truth is, the medal itself is only a moment," she added. "For me, the real magic wasn't even the medal. It was the feeling of being in the zone, completely present and giving everything I had. And then, standing on the podium, I felt the other side of it: the pride of being Canadian. To know I had become the first woman from my country ever to medal in pole vault was humbling."

Alysha Newman in a photoshoot for Maxim. Photo courtesy of Maxim

In 2022, Newman joined OnlyFans and revealed she earned over US$200,000 during her time on the adult subscription platform, saying it allowed her to control her image.

"Whether I liked it or not, I was sexualized in the sport naturally by what I wear, and my beauty," she told Daily Mail. "If I showed up in full leggings and a sports bra that covered my stomach, people would still sexualize me. I mean, it just never stops. When I decided to launch OnlyFans, it was really important for me to be a part of something I could control."

Born in 1994 in Ontario, Newman began in gymnastics before switching to pole vault due to a spinal injury. She competed in NCAA championships for Eastern Michigan and Miami University, breaking multiple college and Canadian records.

In 2014, Newman earned international recognition with a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games before winning gold with a record of 4.75 m in 2018.

Alysha Newman during competition. Photo by Instagram/@alyshanewman

After struggling with injuries and a decline in performance, Newman returned to top form in the 2023-2024 season, setting national records with a 4.83 m indoor vault and 4.85 m at the Paris Olympics.

With over a million social media followers, Newman now balances her athletic career with her entertainment profile, while using her influence to create opportunities for the next generation of athletes.

She is working to develop a high-performance athletics center in Canada to support young talents from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.