Reactions as USATF unveils prize money for Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson & Co at Olympic trials

Reactions as USATF unveils prize money for Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson & Co at Olympic trials

Abigael Wafula 20:04 - 19.06.2024

Several fans have slammed USATF after the prize money structure set aside for Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Co at the Olympic trials was unveiled.

The USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long distance running, and race walking in the United States has unveiled prize money set aside for Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson and Co at the Olympic trials.

The track and field events start on June 21 with big names set to renew their rivalries and take it to the track one more time.

The winners of the race will walk away with about Ksh 1.4 million ($ 11,000) while those who finish second and third will pocket Ksh 1.14 million and Ksh 854,963 respectively. The athletes who cross the finish line fourth, fifth and sixth will pocket Ksh 569,975, Ksh 440,435 and Ksh 284,987 respectively.

Meanwhile, the seventh and eighth-place finishers will walk away with Ksh 142,493 each but the move seems to have attracted a lot of social media criticism.

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One user, Rodney Rideout, commented on the post by Track Spice saying: “It is nice that winners (top 8) are getting paid. I would say $11,000 for 1st place is too low. A USA winner would be typically top in the world for many of the events.”

Ibrahim Kabia added: “The people in charge make millions and the athletes’ pennies. The athletes have a lot of power to change this…. ask the NCAA!”

Glen McDaniel added another comment: “Sponsors cover some expenses, right? Everything is relative, I guess.

“Does any country have a better award scale for Olympic trials? Now for Olympic medals I know some countries pay out 6 figures $$$ for gold medals.”

Another user added: “USATF needs to start a #digitalasset project or the athletes themselves need to utilize this emerging tech. #Memecoin to start. So many options within the digitial asset sector that is essentially exactly where the internet was 30 years ago.”

Another user added: “Damn, that’s it. This is just one of the reasons why I had to give up running they ain’t paying shit.”

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