How will Tokyo Olympic medallists from around the world spend their prize money?
- Hong Kong companies accused of ‘piggybacking on the wins’ with lucrative rewards for medal winners, but bumper windfalls will no doubt be welcome
- Medallists from other countries vow to spend cash on parents and siblings with illness, while US wrestler plans to buy a food truck for struggling mother
While international governing body the IOC, and the respective National Olympic Committees, do not not reward medallists financially for their performances, many countries and companies incentivise Games excellence with cash, and other rewards.
In some countries, where medals are a rarity, lifetime-free subway rides are on the cards, as are free meals at popular restaurants and, in the case of the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz, two free houses and free flights.
Hong Kong won its first ever Olympic medal via windsurfer Lee Lai-shan at the 1996 Atlanta Games, after 44 years of trying. After Lee, the city saw sporadic medal success, only two more medals before this summer – a silver in table tennis in Athens, and a bronze in track cycling in London.
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Hong Kong cyclist Sarah Lee claims bronze at Tokyo Olympics, as US tops China in medal tally
But after a bumper haul in Tokyo, the Hong Kong medallists are in for a windfall.
