It's no secret that American athletes don't make a ton of money from their Olympic gold medals: Each medal is worth $37,500, which is much less than other countries, such as Singapore, where a gold medal is worth about $737,000.
There are perks outside of the competition, such as sponsorship deals, but some athletes from other countries get everything from cows to cars to million-dollar bonuses.
Stars like Simone Biles have parlayed their success into seven-figure endorsement deals, while billionaire NBA players who played for Team USA (and near-billionaires like LeBron James) only received stipends and per diems — a budget that certainly could not cover their exorbitant wine bills in France.
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But for the first time, track and field stars were given an extra financial incentive to win gold medals: The winners of each of the 48 track and field events in Paris received $50,000, with the same amount split among relay teams. World record holders received an additional bonus.
On the U.S. side, the women won the biggest prizes. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won two gold medals in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay in world record times. Gabby Thomas won three gold medals in the 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay.
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McLaughlin-Levrone won $160,000, topping all winners.
For the first time, World Athletics has paid athletes based on their performance at the Olympics.
Here's how much the top earners took home:
$160,000 – Sydney McLaughlin Lelvon
Event Winner Bonus
World Record Bonus
Relay winner bonus pic.twitter.com/dU4m4yhs7g
— Loli Dunk (@FitzDunk) August 20, 2024
Meanwhile, Gabby Thomas didn't do too badly, taking home an extra $70,000.
$70,000 – Gabriel Thomas
Event Winner Bonus
Relay winner bonus x2 pic.twitter.com/3KzrczVH8B
— Loli Dunk (@FitzDunk) August 20, 2024
It will be great to see these gold medalists earn prize money for their great performances, and it will also be interesting to see what the bonuses are for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
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