Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson spark outrage over low pay at World Championships

Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, the top sprinters from the USA, are ready to race at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships from September 13 to 21. The prize for winning a gold medal is $70,000, but many people in track and field say this is not enough money anymore.

Fans, experts, and athletes feel upset because the prize money has barely gone up in ten years, even when prices around us have climbed a lot. They say champions like Lyles and Richardson deserve more for all their hard work.

Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson highlight pay gap

Noah Lyles won big titles in the 100 m and 200 m before coming to Tokyo. Sha’Carri Richardson is the defending 100 m champion. World Athletics says the prize pool for this championship is $8.498 million, with $70,000 for gold, $35,000 for silver, and $22,000 for bronze. But people are not happy. A big reason is that the 2025 Diamond League will pay over $9 million, showing just how much more athletes can earn there. Olympic medalist and expert Rori Dunk shared a clear example. In 2015, gold medals paid $60,000. Now in 2025, they pay $70,000. If you add inflation, that should be about $81,778. So the prize has actually lost value. Silver and bronze pay even less than they should for today’s money.

One fan called it “embarrassing theft of athlete’s labour,” another said, “Extremely low for the best in the world. Athletes deserve to be compensated much better.”

Experts demand fair pay for champions

Fans and experts alike are raising voices. Some say track and field is not getting enough money despite being exciting and popular. One fan compared it to tennis, where Wimbledon winners will take home over £3 million in 2025, a huge contrast.

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Dana White Confirms Canelo Alvarez Vs Terence Crawford Set To Become One Of The Biggest Fights In Boxing HistoryPeople believe World Athletics should rethink how it rewards star athletes. They argue better pay will help the sport grow and keep athletes from walking away. Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson are among the biggest names, and many feel they should be paid like that.