The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) has expressed its approval of a recent decision made by World Athletics to provide cash rewards to gold medal winners at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
World Athletics announced earlier this week that each gold medalist in the 48 athletics events at the Paris Olympics will receive a cash prize of 50,000 U.S. dollars. This decision marks the first instance in the 128-year history of modern Olympics where monetary rewards will be given.
UAF President Dominic Otuchet conveyed his enthusiasm about this development, emphasizing its positive impact. He stated that introducing cash prizes to the Olympics elevates the significance of winning and enhances competitiveness among athletes.
According to Otuchet, the addition of financial incentives alongside Olympic gold medals will serve as a powerful motivator for athletes, fueling their determination to succeed. He expressed Uganda’s satisfaction with this decision, expressing confidence that Ugandan athletes will excel and secure gold medals.
Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, acknowledged the challenge of assigning a monetary value to Olympic medals. However, he emphasized the importance of initiating cash rewards for gold medalists, marking it as a significant step forward.
Otuchet reiterated the positive reception of this news among Ugandan athletes, highlighting their excitement at the opportunity to compete for cash prizes at the Olympics.
Uganda is set to send over 20 track and field athletes to the Paris Olympics. Notably, at the previous Olympics in Tokyo, athletes Joshua Cheptegei and Peruth Chemutai secured gold medals in the men’s 5,000m and women’s 3,000m steeplechase events, respectively.
The UAF looks forward to supporting and witnessing the performance of Ugandan athletes at the Paris Olympics, anticipating potential victories and celebrating their achievements.
