Olympic champion Gabby Thomas has shed light on the financial realities of track and field, revealing that the prize money for winning Olympic medals is far less than many assume, necessitating athletes to pursue additional sources of income.
The 28-year-old, who clinched a hat-trick of gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games, opened up about the misconceptions surrounding athlete earnings during an interview with the Networth and Chill podcast.
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Thomas, a Harvard University graduate who turned professional in 2018, revealed the specific prize money awarded to U.S. Olympic medalists.
“For a gold medal in the US, you get paid 37,000 dollars. That’s it and if you do relays, then you get to split it. Silver medals, I think you get $23,000 and Bronze something like $15,000. And world athletics, so if you do track and field, actually this year, this year is new. If you win a gold medal, you do get $50,000. And that’s from World Athletics,” she stated.
She went on to emphasize that professional track and field athletes do not receive salaries like those in team sports. “Another misconception about track and field is there’s no salary for us. Once you are a professional runner, there’s no league like you are going where you get a salary. For me, I have had sponsorships that help support and they helped me get to the olympics and pay everything.”
Thomas explained that her Olympic success has opened doors to lucrative sponsorship deals, which have allowed her to build her personal brand and pursue a career as an influencer. “I have a job that is to run but I have a second job which is essentially to be an influencer and I run my own brand. I don’t make my money on the track, running at all. That gives me the opportunity to make money.”
Gabby Thomas is set to compete in the Michael Johnson Grand Slam Track league, a four-event circuit beginning in Kingston, Jamaica, in April.
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