Australia’s swimmers didn’t just leave Glasgow with medals… they left with hefty paydays as well.

Fresh off another dominant campaign in the pool, the Dolphins have been rewarded with more than $1.27 million in performance bonuses, a windfall funded by mining billionaire Gina Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting. With the Los Angeles Olympics now less than two years away, the financial boost gives Australia’s stars another reason to keep pushing as they prepare to challenge traditional powerhouse Team USA on the sport’s biggest stage.

Rinehart, Australia’s richest person with an estimated fortune of $31.4 billion, has spent years backing elite athletes across swimming, rowing, volleyball and artistic swimming. Her support has gone far beyond prize money, helping athletes manage living expenses and training costs throughout their careers. That long-term investment once again paid dividends after Australia’s outstanding showing at the Commonwealth Games.

Under Hancock Prospecting’s incentive program, individual gold medallists receive $20,000, silver medallists $15,000, and bronze winners $10,000. Relay rewards are shared among the four swimmers who compete in the final, while athletes who helped qualify relay teams during the heats are also recognised with $2,500 bonuses.

When every medal and relay payment was accounted for, the total payout reached $1,272,500, underlining just how successful Australia’s campaign had been. And guess what?

The Dolphins also rewrote history in Glasgow, eclipsing the previous Commonwealth Games record of 28 swimming gold medals set on the Gold Coast in 2018.

One of the most memorable moments came in the men’s 50m freestyle, where Kyle Chalmers and Ben Armbruster touched the wall together in a Games record time of 22.73 seconds, sharing the gold medal. Hancock Prospecting later confirmed that both swimmers would receive the full gold-medal bonus despite the dead heat.

Not only that, triple individual gold medallist Lani Pallister collected $80,000 after adding relay success to her medal haul. Sam Short earned $65,000 thanks to three freestyle gold medals and a relay victory, while Meg Harris walked away with $60,000 following six gold medals, including four relay triumphs.

Although world-record bonuses were also available, worth $30,000 for an individual record and $7,500 per swimmer in relay events, none were triggered during the competition. Congratulating the team, Rinehart praised not only the swimmers but also the people behind their success.

“Warmest congratulations to all our swimmers and athletes who competed in Glasgow and did Australia proud. A spectacular effort,” she said.

She also highlighted the sacrifices made by athletes, coaches, volunteers and families, adding that Australia’s rise from winning just one swimming gold medal at the London Olympics to becoming one of the world’s strongest swimming nations reflects years of dedication.

“I’m pleased to be able once again to provide financial rewards to our medal winners… It’s a way of saying thank you and showing appreciation for their dedication and achievements.”

The latest bonuses are part of a much larger commitment. Ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2023, Rinehart pledged $1.9 million USD to the Patron’s Medal Achievement Incentive Fund, extending financial incentives across swimming, rowing, artistic swimming, and volleyball. Australia’s Para swimmers also benefited, sharing nearly $289,263 after recording their best World Championships performance in a decade.

However, not every headline surrounding the payments has been celebratory.

Australian swimmers told to stay silent about Gina Rinehart’s support

Despite the generous rewards, members of the Australian swim team were reportedly instructed not to publicly thank Rinehart during the Commonwealth Games.

According to correspondence obtained by Sky News Australia, swimmers were warned that publicly discussing Hancock Prospecting’s medal incentives could breach their team membership agreement.

The payments themselves were never in question. Instead, the restrictions stemmed from Commonwealth Games Australia’s commercial rules, which prevent athletes from promoting reward schemes or participating in media activities connected to financial incentives without prior approval.

Clause 4.8 of the agreement specifically states that athletes cannot participate in promotional activities linked to reward schemes unless authorised by Commonwealth Games Australia. Separate provisions also restrict paid media appearances during the Games.

So, while the rules apply broadly rather than targeting Rinehart specifically, several swimmers were reportedly advised not to publicly acknowledge her financial support in interviews.

The guidance surprised some members of the Dolphins squad, considering Hancock Prospecting has supported Australian swimming for more than three decades.

Olympic silver medalist Elijah Winnington has previously described Rinehart as “almost like this godmother figure,” reflecting the impact her backing has had on generations of Australian swimmers.

Commonwealth Games Australia acknowledged that contribution while explaining that Hancock Prospecting is not an official team partner. “We commend Mrs. Rinehart for her support of Australian sport, it is exemplary,” a CGA spokesperson said.

“Mrs Rinehart and her companies are not Australian team partners.” Veteran sprinter Kyle Chalmers also carefully navigated the issue while making his appreciation clear.

“Absolutely,” Chalmers said when asked whether Rinehart’s backing was beneficial. “I’m super grateful… To be able to have some medal incentive gives us a lot more purpose. Very grateful to have supporters. To be able to have some incentive for all of our hard work, I think is crucial, especially for us older athletes.”

As Australia begins shifting its focus toward Los Angeles 2028, the Dolphins already have momentum in the pool. Now, backed by one of the country’s biggest financial supporters, they also have another incentive to keep closing the gap on and perhaps even overtake the United States on swimming’s biggest stage.