Remember Allison Stokke? One photo changed her life forever, but not in the way you’d think. It made her an internet sensation for all the wrong reasons, and the story behind it is more emotional than you might imagine.

All elite athletes want to be recognized for their hard work, talent, and success.

But unfortunately, female athletes often have to face something much darker: objectification. One person who knows this better than most is former pole vaulter Allison Stokke.

A few years ago, Allison was just an aspiring young athlete, working hard to better herself in her sport. But overnight, everything changed. What was meant to be a normal day turned into a nightmare as strangers began stalking her.

A huge talent
To truly understand why one photo turned Allison Stokke’s life into a nightmare, we need to go back a few years.

Born on March 22, 1989, in Newport Beach, California, Allison was raised in a sports-focused family. Her older brother, David, was a talented gymnast who competed at the national level. Allison herself tried gymnastics but quickly found her passion for pole vaulting.

Her career began in high school, and it didn’t take long for people to realize that she was no ordinary athlete. During her teenage years, Allison’s skills developed rapidly.

She won the U.S. title for her age group (15/16) in 2004, setting a championship record with a vault of 3.81 meters (12 feet 6 inches). During her freshman year, Stokke pushed herself to the limit, striving to improve both her skills and herself.