Anicka Newell is a Canadian pole vaulter, who has a personal best of 4.70m and won the gold at the 2018 Canadian Athletics Championships in Ottawa.
Anicka Newell was born on August 5, 1993, in Denton, Texas, the United States. She started with athletics from an early age and showed great skills. Through her mother, who was born in Canada, she obtained Canadian citizenship to compete for the country and was officially named to Canada’s Olympic team in July 2016.
Anicka Newell competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics and clearing 4.15m finished 29th.
She started her professional career already in 2010 at the Albuquerque Great Southwest Classic. She finished 8th with 3.50m. However, on the next year, she won the gold at the same event which was her first major honor.
In 2013, Anicka Newell won the silver at the San Marcos Bobcat Invitational, Fort Worth TCU Invitational, and Arlington Western Athletic Conference. A year later, she improved her technique and won the titles at the San Antonio Roadrunner Invitational, San Marcos Sun Belt Conference Championships and San Marcos Texas State Invitational, as well as the silver at the Birmingham Sun Belt Indoor Championships, with her best for the season being 3.97m.
In 2015, Anicka Newell for the first time covered 4.00m. She won the gold at the San Marcos Bobcat Classic, Mobile Sun Belt Conference Championships. Her top result for the season was 4.28m.
During the next years, she continue improving her results and gaining honors at various events in the United States.
Anicka Newell cleared 4.65m at Texas State University San Marcos in June 2017, which is the second-best all-time in Athletics Canada history. She placed 12th in women’s pole vault at the 2017 World Championships, clearing 4.45 m on her second attempt.
In 2018, Anicka Newell won the 2018 Canadian Athletics Championships in Ottawa to qualify for the August 11 2018 NACAC Championships in Toronto but did not clear a height.
In 2022, Anicka Newell won the gold at the 2022 Pre World Championships Invitational, but at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon she finished only 9th with 4.45m.
Anicka Newell is definitely one of the most recognizable Canadian athletes and the world’s pole vaulters.
Anicka Newell photos
