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Canadian Olympic pole vaulter Alysha Newman turned heads at last summer’s Paris Games, going viral for a celebratory dance after winning the bronze medal.
Newman cleared 4.85 meters to earn the first Olympic medal of her career.
The athlete-turned-model and influencer is now offering advice to those who aspire to follow in her footsteps.
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Bronze medalist Alysha Newman of Team Canada reacts after competing during the Women’s Pole Vault Final on day twelve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on Aug. 7, 2024 in Paris, France. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Newman began by reflecting on the early life experiences that helped shape her into the person she is today.
“In grade school, I once got the right answer on a test but didn’t use the method my teacher wanted. She wouldn’t give me the gold star, but she did give it to other kids who got the same answer,” Newman told Maxim.
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“So while everyone else went to recess, I went into her desk, liberated a gold star from her drawer, and put that gold star on my paper all by myself. It’s sad how much we hope and wait for someone else to give us the gold star we want—friends, colleagues, a partner, or even strangers.”
Alysha Newman of Team Canada celebrates her bronze medal and poses with the Canadian flag during the Women’s Pole Vault Final on day twelve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on Aug. 7, 2024 in Paris, France. (Aytac Unal/Anadolu via Getty Images)
She added that aspirational individuals should avoid seeking validation from others and instead lean on their own self-confidence.
“That’s my advice: Don’t wait for the world to give you permission. Don’t wait for someone else to validate you. Find confidence in yourself and give yourself that gold star!”
Bronze medalist Canada’s Alysha Newman celebrates on the podium during the victory ceremony for the women’s pole vault final athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on Aug. 8, 2024. (Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP via Getty Images)
Newman holds partnerships with several major brands, including sports apparel and footwear giant Nike. Her combined following across TikTok, Instagram and OnlyFans totals nearly 1 million.
After reflecting on a time when she was “told I had to choose: be an athlete or be a model,” Newman spoke about seeing her path align.
“Now, I’ve stepped into documentaries, partnerships with incredible brands like Rado and Nike, and even shot Celebrity Family Feud to raise money for my charity. And now, I’m living a full-circle moment,” she said.
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Newman set the Atlantic Coast Conference, University of Miami, and Canadian national records when she cleared 4.60 meters in her last home meet as a Hurricane. At the time, that achievement also placed Newman in the No. 4 spot in the world rankings.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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