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AK chief lauds World Athletics’ KSh 6.4 million cash reward for Olympic gold medalists

Barnaba Korir, second from right. Photo courtesy of Athletics Kenya

By Michael Kirwa | 11 Apr 2024

World Athletics recently announced the enticing prize monies that await podium finishers at the upcoming Paris Olympics

The stakes will be even higher at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after World Athletics announced today the introduction of prize money for all Olympic gold medalists.

Previously, Olympic champions, as well as other medalists, in athletics never received any prize money but at this year’s Olympics games, the gold medalists in all the 48 athletics events will go home with USD50 000 (approximately KES 6.4 million). Winners of relay events will receive the same amount which will be shared among the team, World Athletics said in a statement on Wednesday.

World Athletics also said in the statement that a total prize money pot of USD2.4 million has been ring-fenced from the International Olympic Committee’s revenue allocation which World Athletics receives every four years.

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World Athletics added in its statement that the payment of prize money to gold medalists will be subject to World Athletics ratification processes and that includes the winning athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.

World Athletics becomes the first international sports federation to give cash awards to sportspeople at the Olympic Games and it plans on extending the initiative to silver and bronze medalists at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

With World Athletics President Sebastain Coe highlighting the decision as a pivotal moment for World Athletics and one that underscores its commitment to empower athletes and recognise the critical role they play in ensuring the success of the Olympic Games, Athletics Kenya Youth Development Director Barnaba Korir lauded the initiative as a great resource for athletes.

“This programme from World Athletics is a great resource for athletes because it adds to the other financial incentives that athletes receive from their own federations, nations, and sponsors. It is a good gesture from World Athletics and Athletics Kenya supports that,” Korir told The Eastleigh Voice.

“World Athletics’ prize money for gold medalists is almost equivalent to what we will offer our winning athletes going by the proposal of the Head of State President William Ruto to award gold medalists with KES 5 million, silver medalists with KES 3 million, and bronze medalists with KES 2 million. So, in terms of awarding our winners, we are doing very well and if that can be made as a policy, then we will be lucky because it is going to be good for us,” Korir added.