Around the world, various countries give a bonus per medal, generally at a fixed rate for all of its Olympic athletes, including the United States. Speaking of gold, the USA continues to rack up plenty of medals, with 38 total after Day Seven on Friday.
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Three games into the Rio Games, the 34-year-old not only leads the Olympic reigning champions United States of America with 17.7 points per game but has already hit 14 three-pointers in three games to add to her record. China Gold: 13, Silver: 10, Bronze: 16, Total: 39 3.
But for the 2012 London Olympics, Russia paid out the most, as they gave their athletes $135k per Gold Medal, and the total amount they paid out is $12.7 million. A Michael Phelps Olympic Gold Medal would go for far more at an auction house.
Elsewhere, Ethiopian distance runner Almaz Ayana smashed a 23-year-old world record to claim gold in the 10,000m before New Zealand shot putter Valerie Adams suffered an agonising defeat as the Olympic athletics competition opened with a bang on Friday.
“Every emotion hit me at once so I was just kind of a train wreck”, Biles said afterward.
Marketwatch reports that in addition to the honor and glory that comes from winning an Olympic Medal, an athlete might expect quite a financial payday when returning home, but that all depends which country you represent.
China also took seven more trips to the medal podium on Day 6, sheering down Team USA’s overall medal lead by one for the second straight day.
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Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky who have won four golds and one silver medal so far in Rio can expect a heavier tax on their Olympic earnings than, say, US basketball’s DeMarcus Cousins will pay (assuming he wins gold). You’d think it wouldn’t be that big of a deal after your 22nd!
