Former Miami pole vaulter Alysha Newman twerks after clearing bar, wins bronze for Canada at Paris 2024 Olympics

Have you ever closed your eyes and imagined what your reaction would be to securing an Olympic medal? A triumphant roar — perhaps breaking down in tears?

For Canada pole vaulter Alysha Newman, after jumping 4.85 m to clear the bar in women’s pole vault — she twerked in adulation. Competing in her third Olympic Games, the vault resulted in her first-ever Olympic medal.

Watch the former six-time All-American Miami Hurricanes Track & Field star perform her vault and celebrate below:

Twerking at the Olympics in Paris today after Canadian Alysha Newman jumps 4.85 m in pole vault! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/lcV9cdiB6b

— ReelAesthetic (@ReelAesthetica) August 7, 2024

Australia’s Nina Kennedy won the gold medal in the event while the United States’ Katie Moon took home silver.

Dealing with numerous injuries and setbacks since leaving Miami in the mid 2010s, Newman beat the odds to win bronze.

“I never give up, I never stop,” she said in an interview after her jump. “I needed to stick to my guns. I know I’m one of the best in the world and tonight I proved I’m third best in the world and I want more.”

The medal was given to Newman after Switzerland’s Angelica Moser missed her jump at 4.90 m. Kennedy, the gold medal winner, cleared 4.90 m to beat the reigining Olympic champion in Katie Moon. She earned silver after also clearing 4.85, but was given the nod for having one less fault than Newman.

During 2016 in Rio, Newman finished 17th in her respective field while being given ‘NM’ marks in Tokyo. Now, she can call herself an Olympic medalist. A bronze finish is fine by her.

“I laugh because getting third is, I mean, I’ve never gotten third, but it’s funny because you have to still wait and sit there and wait till the other girls are done,” she said. “And I’m like, so awkwardly standing there. Who do I do? Do I celebrate? Do I kiss everyone? Do I cry? So, it was really a surreal moment.”

Newman said that she’s retired roughly 20 times in her head. All of those injuries and setbacks have culminated in her performance on Wednesday. It’s motivated her to give back to the Track & Field community in her home country.

“I want to build a track facility in Canada. I want to do some more stuff in the sport,” she said. “And this bronze medal is going to help. Maybe that sounds horrible, but it’s such a moment and I’m going to live in it.”

The bronze medal concludes Newman’s stay in Paris, as it was the only event she planned to compete in.