Alysha Newman Vaults Past Field in Zürich

Newman Becomes First Canadian Woman to Win Diamond League Final

Canadian athlete Alysha Newman made history on Thursday, September 8th, 2023, when she became the first Canadian woman to win a Diamond League final in the pole vault. Newman, 29, cleared a height 4.82 meters to take the victory at the Weltklasse Zürich meeting in Switzerland.

Newman, who holds the Canadian record in the pole vault, came into the final ranked fourth in the world. She was up against a strong field that included Olympic champion Katie Nageotte of the United States and world champion Nina Kennedy of Australia.

The competition was close throughout, with the top three finishers all clearing 4.82 meters. However, Newman had the fewest misses at lower heights, which gave her the victory on countback.

Newman's victory is a major breakthrough for Canadian track and field. It is the first time that a Canadian has won a Diamond League event since Andre De Grasse won the 200 meters in 2016.