Record Breaking
Allison Stokke’s incredible career as a pole vaulter began in high school. Still new to the sport, she immediately began to find success. In 2004 — her first year competing in track and field — Allison recorded a vault of 3.86 meters (12 feet, 7 ¾ inches), which broke the American record for high school freshmen.
With that one big leap, her vault was the best ever recorded by an American 15-year-old. Allison’s incredible feat would mark the start of a promising athletic profession, but while the achievement was the first of many in her career as a pole vaulter, it also marked the beginning of a path towards a massive controversy.