Track and field paved with gold as money flows to athletes

NEW YORK — Money flowed into athletics in 2024 and even bigger paychecks will soon be up for grabs, with the sport's governing body shelling out and start-up meets offering major prizes in an encouraging sign for athletes.

World Athletics sent a message in April when president Sebastian Coe announced it would offer $50,000 to each of the Paris gold medalists, breaking 128 years of Olympic tradition. It plans to pay silver and bronze medal winners in 2028, too.

Coe routinely promises to bring relevancy to the sport outside the Olympics, and sees inflating athletes' pocketbooks as a way to keep athletics growing in popularity.

"I want young athletes to look at our sport and think this is financially viable for them," Coe said. "For many, and for too long, it hasn't been, and that's what I'm now addressing."

World Athletics in June announced that its new "Ultimate Championship" would kick off in 2026, with a record $10 million prize pot. The Championship will cut straight to semis and finals in an effort to break away from "traditional models".

"We are looking to reach a broader audience, particularly younger fans, and elevate the entire sport," World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon said.

The effort was bolstered by a handful of novel track events that were announced in 2024, including the women's-only Athlos, which hosted its inaugural meet in September, and Duael Track and Grand Slam Track, which are expected to launch next year.

Athlos' New York launch had some three million viewers across streaming platforms, according to founder Alexis Ohanian, and will eye a repeat performance in 2025.

Athlos and Grand Slam put an emphasis on prize money, with the winners at Athlos each pocketing $60,000 — twice the prize offered at the 2024 Diamond League finale.

When Grand Slam Track kicks off in April, athletes could potentially earn as much as $400,000 across the four-meet season.

The Diamond League got the message, as it raised its total prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, a record amount for the top-tier circuit, with leading athletes receiving promotional fees.

But, for Noah Lyles, arguably the face of Netflix's Sprint docuseries, there is one commodity money can't buy: exposure.

American Lyles gained an even greater level of celebrity as he triumphed in the closest-ever Olympic 100 meters final, and has said repeatedly he would not make a decision on competing in Grand Slam Track until a TV sponsor is announced.

"Being the Olympic champion, I've already come in with a lot of accolades and a lot of things where I don't need monetary value," the 200m world champion told LetsRun.com. "But, I really need marketing value."

REUTERS