Ex-quarter miler Ogunkoya hails World Athletics’ initiative

Team Nigeria’s A-list athletes in the track & field event including the likes of Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the 100m women’s hurdles event and current Commonwealth gold medallist in the women’s long jump event , Ese Brume and amongst others , will each have a rare opportunity of winning a staggering US$50,000 (approximately sixty-two million, two hundred ninety-seven thousand and five hundred naira) should they scoop a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

This remains a distinct possibility after the World Athletics ‘in a landmark decision’ announced yesterday (April 10) that it will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games by ‘financially rewarding athletes for achieving the pinnacle of sporting success’ starting at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. “Each individual Olympic champion will receive US$50,000,” the governing body of athletics noted in a statement sent to NationSport .“ Relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among the team.”

Altogether , there will 48 athletics events at this summer’s Olympics with each gold medallist guaranteed the sum of US$50,000 as such , the World Athletics will be committing a hard-to-believe US$2.4 million(conservatively about two billion, nine hundred seventy-five million and six hundred sixty-four thousand) at Paris 2024.

Even at that, it was noted that ‘the payment of prize money will depend upon the World Athletics ratification process, including athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures’.

Speaking on this development, the first Nigerian to win an individual track and field medal at the Olympic Games, Falilat Ogunkoya , has lauded World Athletics , adding Nigeria’s contingent in athletics to Paris 2024 must gird their loins to win a slice of the prize money earmarked for the track & field events.

The former Nigeria quarter-miler who won a bronze medal in the 400 m event at Atlanta 1996 Olympics behind Marie-José Pérec of France and Cathy Freeman of Australia in a personal best and African record of 49.10, described the gesture by World Athletics as a milestone and laudable.

“ For the World Athletics to give as much as US$50,000 to each of the gold medallist in the track and field events at Paris 2024 is laudable and a step in the right direction and it will certainly be a big boost to the athletics events as well as our (Team Nigeria) athletes to compete for the gold medal,” Ogunkoya who was also a member of the silver medal-winning 4×400 m relay team at the 1996 Atlanta Games, told NationSports. “ The Olympic Games is certainly the biggest and that means any of our athletes desirous to win this money must work very hard, no short cut (to win a gold medal.”

While only gold medallists would partake in the financial booty at Paris 2024 , the World Athletics yesterday further affirmed its ‘commitment to extend the prize money at a tiered level to Olympic silver and bronze medal winners at the LA 2028 Olympic Games’ saying : “The format and structure of the LA28 Olympic bonuses will be announced nearer the time.”

Athletics at Paris 2024 featuring a total of 48 medal events across three distinct sets namely track and field, road running, and race-walking will run between August 1 and 11 across four venues.

[TheNation]