Namita Nayyar:
Your first reaction on being officially inducted to Canada’s Olympic team in 2016?
Anicka Newell:
The 2016 Olympic trials was one of the hardest competitions I’ve done because of the extremely difficult weather conditions the day of. By the end of the competition I did not vault as well as I had hoped and had finished in 2nd place. I walked up to my dad crying and pissed off and he just laughed and said “I’ve never seen someone upset at making it to the Olympics”. That’s when I realized that I had just made the Olympic team.
Namita Nayyar:
A back injury ended your gymnastics career, but you stroke back as a pole vaulter. Today, you are second-ranked women’s vaulter behind Alysha Newman. How do you feel about this switch that you had to make?
Anicka Newell:
When I was younger I was really short, gymnastics was my whole life. Within a year of my gymnastics career-ending back injury I grew about 6 inches and went from one of the shortest in my class to the tallest. Obviously I was just not meant to be a gymnast. But what had devastated me at the time turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it opened up the door to track and field which eventually became my entire life. I am so thankful; some things really do happen for a reason.
Namita Nayyar:
You are now also the Head Coach at Bayou Vault Club, what factors were instrumental towards this shift?
Anicka Newell:
I’ve coached for many years and I love it. I love the connections I make with younger kids and watching them grow as people and as athletes. I always knew I wanted to have my own pole vault club so when the opportunity opened up I jumped on it. My kids even nicknamed me Momma Gator (our mascot is an alligator). Aside from my own vault career, those kids at my club are my life. I love each one of them and I honestly get more excited for their successes than my own.
