How much money does Noah Lyles win for being the men’s 100m Olympic champion in Paris 2024?

Noah Lyles, America’s sprinting sensation, has more reasons to celebrate his 100m gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Despite the amateur nature of the tournament, World Athletics, the sport’s global governing body, introduced a $50,000 reward for certain gold medalists, making this Olympic victory a little sweeter for Lyles, although the title is clearly the most important return.

Financial reward for Olympic athletic golds

In a surprising move, World Athletics announced earlier in the year that it would offer this cash prize to its gold medalists at the 2024 Games. This change introduces an additional income stream for Olympians, who have historically relied on rewards from their home countries, and many still do. The importance of national pride and personal glory remains, but some lesser-known stars need support.

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is more than aware that it is likely to have the most medals awarded across the events so has a measured $37,000 contribution for a first-place finishes. This means that Lyles will pocket this in addition to the $50,000. If you think about it, that’s almost $10,000 per second of his final sprint, although it is, of course, backed by years of grueling training and dedication.

Lyles’ name is now, more than ever, going to be attracting more sponsorship deals and various marketing opportunities. That global fame and recognition that come with being an Olympic champion can translate into significant income, well beyond the immediate prize money.

It’s worth noting that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) maintains that it organises the Games as a non-profit venture, and for good reason.

“Imagine if the IOC were to organise the Olympic Games on a for-profit business model. The event would be limited to those sports that generate the most significant revenues, and it would not involve athletes representing teams from 206 NOCs. It would not be Olympic Games as we know them.”

In essence, the IOC argues that the diversity and global inclusiveness of the Games make them special, and a profit-driven model would undermine this spirit. Nonetheless, the additional prize money from World Athletics and national bodies ensures that top athletes like Lyles do not leave the Games empty-handed.