President Ruto awards Kenyan athletes Sh27 million for stellar performance in Tokyo
Overall, the athletes collected $490,000 (Sh63.3 million) from gold medals, $70,000 (Sh9 million) from silver, and $44,000 (Sh5.6 million) from bronze, bringing the total earnings from the Tokyo championships to Sh78 million.
Kenya’s track and field heroes have been handsomely rewarded for their outstanding performance at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, with President William Ruto announcing Sh27 million in cash prizes.
During a breakfast with the Tokyo team on Thursday at State House, Nairobi, Ruto revealed that gold medalists will pocket Sh3 million each, silver medalists Sh2 million, and bronze medalists Sh1 million.
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The announcement celebrates Kenya’s remarkable haul of seven gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, securing a proud second-place finish at the World Athletics Championships.
President William Ruto speaks during the award ceremony at State House, Nairobi. (Photo: William Ruto/X)
Among the gold medal winners, six were women and one was a man. They include Beatrice Chebet (5,000m and 10,000m), Faith Kipyegon (1,500m), Peres Jepchirchir (women’s marathon), Lillian Odira (800m), Faith Cherotich (3,000m steeplechase), and Emmanuel Wanyonyi (800m).
Silver medalists included Faith Kipyegon and Dorcas Ewoi (1,500m), while Reynold Cheruiyot (1,500m) and Edmund Serem (men’s 3,000m steeplechase) claimed bronze.
In addition to the cash rewards, Ruto announced that gold medalists would be offered an affordable housing unit of their choice, with the government covering half the cost and athletes paying the remainder.
Addressing critics who claimed the houses were free handouts, Ruto clarified, “There are some who, because of ignorance, believe we are dishing out affordable houses. There is no affordable house that is going to be given to anybody without being paid for. When we say we are going to make a house available to anybody, including our athletes, it means that the government is going to pay.”
A section of the athletes. (Photo: William Ruto/X)
The monetary rewards from Ruto are part of a revamped government rewards program and are in addition to the prize money athletes earned during the championships.
According to World Athletics’ official prize structure, gold medalists earn $70,000 (Ksh9 million), silver medalists $35,000 (Sh4.5 million), and bronze medalists $22,000 (Sh2.8 million).
Overall, Kenyan athletes collected $490,000 (Sh63.3 million) from gold medals, $70,000 (Sh9 million) from silver, and $44,000 (Sh5.6 million) from bronze, bringing the total earnings from the Tokyo championships to Sh78 million.
Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet emerged among the top earners in terms of prize money.
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