*This content was translated by AI.
"What did you say? Runner-up gets 100 million won?"
The athlete's expression, previously downcast with regret over missing the championship, changed in an instant. A never-before-seen "money festival" is unfolding in the world of athletics.
Reuters reported on the 12th (Korean time) that "Australian high jump star Nicola Olyslagers felt she had competed in one of the most frustrating matches of her illustrious career," yet "in the end, today became the day she earned the most money in her athletic career."
Olyslagers recently secured second place at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship women's high jump event held in Budapest, Hungary, clearing 1.95 meters.
The championship title went to Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine, who recorded a height of 1.99 meters.
For Olyslagers, the reigning world champion, the result was not satisfactory. Particularly struggling during her approach run on this day, she failed to claim even the inaugural "Ultimate Champion" title and could not hide her disappointment immediately after the competition.
However, the atmosphere completely changed after she met reporters in the mixed zone.
When reporters informed Olyslagers that the runner-up prize money for this tournament was 75,000 dollars (approximately 100 million won), she was startled and asked, "What did you say? Is that really true?"
She then added, "I thought only the winner would receive 150,000 dollars (about 200 million won), while second place would get around 10,000 dollars. You've brought me wonderful news. It's truly fantastic," expressing her joy.
It was indeed surprising. Olyslagers' 75,000-dollar runner-up prize for this tournament is actually 5,000 dollars more than the 70,000 dollars she received after winning last year's world championship.
In monetary terms, the runner-up prize of the newly established tournament exceeds that of the world championship victory.
This is due to the unprecedented scale of prize money introduced by World Athletics for its new Ultimate Championship. The event runs for three days from the 12th to the 14th in Budapest, Hungary.
From the very first edition, top-tier athletics stars including world and Olympic champions have all participated. A total of 381 athletes from 65 member federations are competing across 28 events.
Most notably, the scale of prize money stands out. This tournament features a total prize pool of 0.1 billion dollars (approximately 140 thousand won), marking the largest ever for a single athletics competition.
Individual event winners receive 150,000 dollars. Second place earns 75,000 dollars, and third place receives 40,000 dollars (about 60 million won).
Considering that the individual event winner's prize at last year's 2025 World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo, Japan, was 70,000 dollars, this tournament's top prize is more than double that amount.
It is not only top-ranked athletes who receive money. In individual events, prizes are awarded to all competitors up to 16th place. Even the lowest-ranked 16th-place athlete receives 2,000 dollars. The winning relay team is awarded 80,000 dollars (approximately 110 million won).
The substantial prize money is also impacting athletes' real lives. Britain's Suxes Eduan contributed to his team's third-place finish in the mixed 4×100m relay and received a prize of 6,000 dollars (about 80 thousand won).
As a university student, he has already decided how to use the prize money: repaying his student loans. When asked if the prize would be helpful, Eduan replied, "Of course."
Reuters explained that "Eduan is currently studying at the University of Surrey in the UK to become a midwife" and that "next week, he will complete his degree program after participating in the delivery process for four babies."
Georgia Hunter Bell (UK) of the women's 1500m also acknowledged that the large prize money provides athletes with motivation different from before.
Hunter Bell stated, "It's 150,000 dollars. Naturally, this becomes a competition you must win," adding, "That aspect adds a new element to this tournament."
She continued with a smile, "Depending on the results of the competition, the house my husband and I will live in might look slightly different. It's fun to think about that."
Of course, when compared with other popular sports, the scale of prize money in athletics still remains significantly smaller.
In the US Open tennis tournament, even players eliminated in the first round of the singles main draw receive 140,000 dollars, which is nearly equal to the 150,000-dollar individual event winner's prize at the Ultimate Championship.
Nevertheless, within the athletics community, this tournament is viewed as a meaningful change. Reuters reported that "for athletes accustomed to chasing titles over money, World Athletics' new tournament offers a rare opportunity to dream of both 'victory' and 'big money' simultaneously."
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
