Canadian Pole Vaulter's Poles Broken on Flight to Doha Diamond League Meeting

By Adam Kopet

Alysha Newman posted on social media Thursday that her pole vault poles were broken en route to the Doha Diamond League meeting.

My heart is broken&so are all my poles thanks to @AirCanada I've put my trust into you as an airline to get my poles & equipment safely to my competitions, spendings thousand of dollars weekly on flights and poles. This is how you treat people’s stuff? It’s shame, you let me down! pic.twitter.com/IruaznZ2fK

— ✨AlyshaNewman✨ (@alysha_newman94) May 3, 2018

Newman, the Commonwealth Games champion from Canada, had been among 10 women entered in the Diamond League event. With less than 24 hours before the pole vault is set to begin, it is unlikely she will be able to get a new set of poles in time.

Pole vaulters routinely struggle to transport their poles to competitions when air travel is involved. Newman might still be able to compete Friday, but to do so, she will likely need to use borrowed poles.