Remember Allison Stokke? One photo changed her life forever, but not in the way you’d think. It made her an internet sensation for all the wrong reasons, and the story behind it is more emotional than you might imagine.
All elite athletes want to be recognized for their hard work, talent, and success.
But unfortunately, female athletes often have to face something much darker: objectification. One person who knows this better than most is former pole vaulter Allison Stokke.
A few years ago, Allison was just an aspiring young athlete, working hard to better herself in her sport. But overnight, everything changed. What was meant to be a normal day turned into a nightmare as strangers began stalking her.
A huge talent
To truly understand why one photo turned Allison Stokke’s life into a nightmare, we need to go back a few years.
Born on March 22, 1989, in Newport Beach, California, Allison was raised in a sports-focused family. Her older brother, David, was a talented gymnast who competed at the national level. Allison herself tried gymnastics but quickly found her passion for pole vaulting.
Her career began in high school, and it didn’t take long for people to realize that she was no ordinary athlete. During her teenage years, Allison’s skills developed rapidly.
She won the U.S. title for her age group (15/16) in 2004, setting a championship record with a vault of 3.81 meters (12 feet 6 inches). During her freshman year, Stokke pushed herself to the limit, striving to improve both her skills and herself.
Soon, her hard work started to pay off.
She broke the American record for a high school freshman with a vault of 3.86 meters (12 feet 7¾ inches). The following year, she set a new high school sophomore record with a vault of 4.11 meters (13 feet 5¾ inches).
The nightmare begins
After breaking five national records, Allison earned a scholarship to the University of California. This was incredibly impressive, especially considering that Allison broke her tibia during training in 2005 and was forced to surgery.
In early 2007, something happened that would change Allison Stokke’s life forever. She was competing in New York when a journalist for a Californian track and field website snapped a photo of the 17–year–old athlete. The photo captured her waiting on the runway for her turn.
At the time, the journalist didn’t think much of it – it was just an ordinary shot, and it was later published on the website.
But things quickly took an unexpected turn. In May 2007, the photo was re-shared by With Leather, a popular sports blog with a large male following. The headline read ”Pole Vaulting is Sexy, Barely Legal,” and the article focused on Allison’s looks.
The photo wasn’t overtly sexual, but blogger Matt Ufford recognized its potential impact when he first saw it. He knew that his audience — readers drawn to comedy, opinions, and sometimes more provocative content — would be captivated by it.
That famous photo
Standing at 5-foot-7, Allison had smooth, olive-toned skin and a fit, athletic build.
In the photo, her vaulting pole rested on her right shoulder, while she appeared to be adjusting her ponytail. Her spandex uniform, consisting of black shorts and a white tank top, typical for a track athlete, revealed a small portion of her midriff.
To Ufford, Allison seemed like a “no brainer” to write about, as he explained to The Washington Post.
However, not everyone was pleased with the attention the photo garnered. The photographer, for instance, reached out and threatened to sue Matt Ufford’s site unless the image was removed.
But the attention surrounding Allison couldn’t be stopped.
The article went viral, drawing massive attention. It was reposted across various websites, and soon a tribute page dedicated to Allison Stokke popped up, featuring multiple images of her in action. As these images spread through social media, fan groups began to form, racking up thousands of followers.
Allison called a family meeting and showed them some of the websites.
”How did I feel? A mix of anger and concern,” her mother, Cindy, told LA Times.
A viral sensation without consent
The whole thing was a stark demonstration of the internet’s power to turn someone into an overnight sensation — without their consent.
Allison first learned about the viral image when a friend emailed her, letting her know that a photo of her fixing her hair at a track meet had exploded online.
This was before social media had truly taken off, but Allison still had a Myspace account. When she checked it, she found over 1,000 new messages waiting for her.
Soon, photos of Allison became an internet phenomenon, and major publications began covering her story, trying to make sense of how something like this could happen. CBS even gave her story television coverage, using it to highlight the dangers of the internet sexualizing young people.
Despite the media attention, Allison was left to handle her public image on her own. The young pole vaulting star initially tried to manage the situation, but the flood of emails and photo shoot requests soon became overwhelming. Seeking help, she turned to a media consultant to navigate her newfound fame.
”I just want to find some way to get this all under control,” Allison said.
Locked doors and stalkers
Although Allison received some support in handling the media frenzy, it was still a difficult time for the young woman when she found herself at the center of the storm. Back home in Newport, she became the subject of stares in coffee shops, and she revealed that she never left the house alone. When she was home by herself, she made sure all the doors were locked.
Unfortunately, Allison had unintentionally become a sex symbol, leading to her being targeted by stalkers and unwanted attention. Her father Allan worked as a lawyer and started looking through online content to find any illegal activity or stalkers.
Looking back on everything, Allison told The Washington Post, ”Even if none of it is illegal, it just all feels really demeaning. I worked so hard for pole vaulting and all this other stuff, and it’s almost like that doesn’t matter. Nobody sees that. Nobody really sees me.”
While the attention kept pouring in, the California native just wanted to focus on her track and field career, which proved easier said than done. But more and more photographers began following her at competitions, and for several years, she was likely one of the most photographed female athletes.
Failed to reach the Olympics
During her college years, Allison didn’t find the same level of success. She shifted her focus to studying sociology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Although she did some decent results, she may have realized she wasn’t destined to become a world-class athlete. Still, Allison continued with pole vaulting after earning her degree, aiming for a spot at the 2012 London Olympics, but her results fell short.
Luckily, other opportunities soon came her way.
She became a sportswear model and was featured as one of Nike’s prominent faces. She also collaborated with GoPro to showcase the intricacies and challenges of pole vaulting, with an ad that garnered over 6.5 million views on YouTube.
Allison Stokke husband
Allison retired from competition in 2017.
Perhaps love played a role in this new chapter of her life? That same year, she started dating American pro golfer Rickie Fowler. Fowler grew up in Southern California in Murrieta, not far from Allison’s coastal hometown. Like many pro golfers, he decided to make the move to Florida, and Allison joined him on this new adventure.
The couple got engaged a year later and tied the knot in 2019. They now have two daughters and just welcomed their newest addition, Nellie!
When Rickie and Allison get time to themselves, they often spend it working out and motivating one another.
Allison Stokke today
Today, Allison Stokke has nearly 700,000 followers on Instagram, proving she remains a powerful force. But more importantly, the now 35-year-old has reclaimed control over her public image — a stark contrast to what happened back in 2007, when others tried to define her story.
She also uses her platform to amplify the voices of women in sports. She deeply understands the challenges young girls face, the self-doubt and pressure that often push them away from the things they love. Allison has read the studies, seen the data, and knows just how vital that extra push and unwavering support are to keep them going.
“Did you know that by the age of 14 girls drop out of sports at two times the rate of boys? We have lows and highs–probably more disappointment than success–but it’s all about how we overcome and move forward to ultimately improve! This is an example of a recent mishap, i.e., pole break, resulting in a broken finger and a few weeks away from pole vaulting. This has me sidelined for a bit, but I will be back even stronger. Let’s inspire the next generation of girls to redefine what it means to be powerful!,” she posted to Instagram.
So, let’s take a moment to remember Allison Stokke as more than just a viral sensation; she was an incredibly talented athlete who deserves recognition for her accomplishments on the field. It’s heartwarming to see her thriving with Rickie and their beautiful children, embracing life with joy.
Despite the challenges she faced, Allison handled that chapter of her life with grace!
A quick Google search on her still pulls up millions of results, most of which miss highlighting her true talent. Let’s share her story as a tribute to her dedication and remarkable achievements.
