Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone joins list of highest paid athletes in 2025
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 19.12.25. | 15:35
Despite not winning all her events, her reported unpaid cheque stands at around Kshs 56 million
American track sensation Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has broken new ground for athletics after earning a place among the world’s highest-paid female athletes in 2025.
This remarkable feat challenged the long-held dominance of stars from more commercially lucrative sports.
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For years, track and field has struggled for representation on rich lists, despite its global appeal; however, McLaughlin-Levrone’s growing profile appears to be changing that narrative.
The 26-year-old made Forbes’ list of the top 20 highest-paid female athletes in 2025, ranking 18th with earnings of approximately Kshs1.31 billion this year alone.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s rise has been fueled by extraordinary success on the track.
An Olympic and world champion, she has shattered multiple world records in the 400m hurdles and has recently excelled in the 400m flat.
Her versatility was on full display at the 2025 World Championships in September, where she clocked 47.78 seconds to win gold in the 400m, coming close to a 40-year-old record in an event that is not even her primary discipline.
Her performances earned her the 2025 World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year award.
However, a closer examination of her earnings reveals the financial realities of athletics.
Of the Kshs1.31 billion she made in 2025, only about Kshs 32 million came from prize money on the track, with an overwhelming Kshs1.28 billion generated through endorsements.
The disparity shows how limited prize money in athletics remains compared to other sports.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s commercial appeal has attracted major global brands, including Gatorade, Neutrogena, and TAG Heuer, elevating her status as the most marketable female track athlete in the world.
Her star power also explains why she is reportedly the athlete owed the largest sum by Grand Slam Track, which has since filed for bankruptcy.
Despite not winning all her events, her reported unpaid cheque stands at around Kshs 56 million.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympic Games, McLaughlin-Levrone is keeping her options open.
She is considering doubling in the 400m hurdles and 400m flat, and has even hinted at exploring the 200m or a return to the long jump.
Despite McLaughlin-Levrone’s breakthrough, tennis continues to dominate the earnings charts.
Coco Gauff topped the women’s rich list for the second consecutive year with earnings of about Kshs 5.28 billion in 2025, followed by Aryna Sabalenka with approximately Kshs 4.8 billion and Iga Swiatek with around Kshs4.02 billion.
