Paula Newby-Fraser (born 2 June 1962 in Harare) is an Ironman triathlete and duathlete.

Newby-Fraser was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and raised in South Africa, where she was a nationally ranked swimmer as a child.

In the 1990s, she also competed in long distance duathlons like the PowerMan Zofingen in Switzerland and the 1990 World Duathon Championships in Palm Springs, USA.

[citation needed] Among numerous other awards, the United States Sports Academy named her as one of the top five professional women athletes of the last 25 years (1972–1997).

Paula Newby-Fraser held the Ironman Women's world record of 8:50:28, until 2008-07-13, when Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands posted a time of 8:45:48.