American medal winners at the Paris Olympics got to climb onto the podium, and they'll leave with a paycheck, too.
The U.S. is one of a handful of countries issuing financial bonuses for winning medals of any color at the 2024 Games, and those winning golds in track and field are provided an additional windfall from World Athletics, the sport's global governing body. It's the first time a worldwide organization has done so for a specific sport.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee doled out $37,500 for each American gold medal at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, alongside $22,500 for each silver and $15,000 for each bronze. Specific numbers for the would-be payouts in Paris have not been announced.
The payout figures from World Athletics include $50,000 for individual track and field event winners and a split of $50,000 among teammates on a winning relay.
Based on those numbers, U.S. sprint star Gabby Thomas, who won solo gold in the women's 200-meter race and ran legs on two winning relays, would leave with the biggest American track and field haul.
Off the track, gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Torri Huske won three golds apiece and both Huske and swimming teammate Regan Smith won five overall medals to Biles' four.
Many U.S. athletes, including Biles and sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, earn additional funds thanks to significant sponsorship deals with various companies. Richardson, for example, has reportedly agreed to a multi-year, multi-million-dollar pact with Nike.