Kenyan athletes to battle for Ksh2.3 billion in new Diamond League rewards
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 18.09.24. | 15:07
The increase will also apply to all 32 Diamond Disciplines, benefitting athletes across the full diversity of track and field
Athletes across the globe now have a new reason to smile following a landmark decision by the Diamond League General Assembly on Sunday to increase their prize money to a historical figure starting next season.
According to an official communication from the Wanda Diamond League on Tuesday, the total amount of prize money paid over the course of the season will increase to $9,240,000 (Ksh.1,192,329,600) in 2025.
Prize money in the Wanda Diamond League will increase to its highest ever level from the 2025 season onwards 💎
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September 18, 2024
New total over a third higher than recent seasons, with an estimated 270 million USD invested in athletes since 2010 📈
The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024, and the highest ever since the Diamond League’s launch in 2010.
Including promotional fees for top athletes, a total of around $18 million (Ksh.2,322,720,000) will be paid to athletes in total over the course of the 2025 season, with many more millions being invested in athlete services such as travel and transport, accommodation and medical and physio provision.
Under the new structure, the total prize money awarded per meeting will be $500,000 (Ksh.64,520,000) at each of the 14 regular series meetings, and $2,240,000 (Ksh.289,049,600) at the Wanda Diamond League Final.
The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 (Ksh.3,871,200) and $50,000 (Ksh.6,452,000) at the series meetings and between $60,000 (7,742,400) and $100,000 (Ksh.12,904,000) at the final.
Initially, overall winners -including in the concluded 2024 season - received Ksh.3,870,000 ($30,000), Ksh.1,548,000 ($12,000) for second place, and Ksh.903,000 ($7,000) for third place.
As always, prize money is entirely gender-equal, with exactly the same rates for male and female athletes.
The increase will also apply to all 32 Diamond Disciplines, benefitting athletes across the full diversity of track and field.
The increase in prize money reflects the Wanda Diamond League’s position as athletics’ premier one-day series and the backbone of the outdoor season for the world’s biggest stars.
With 15 meetings in 13 countries on four different continents, the series provides elite athletes from across the globe with a chance to compete at the highest level from April to September.
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