The 2025 Tokyo World Championships, set to begin on September 13, have generated immense excitement as track and field’s biggest stars, including Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, prepare to compete for global glory. The event, which features over 2,000 athletes from nearly 200 teams, represents the pinnacle of the sport outside the Olympic Games, with defending champions like Lyles (100m, 200m) and Richardson (100m) aiming to retain their titles amid fierce competition.

But, underneath all the excitement, there’s some frustration brewing in the athletic community, sparked by news about how the prize money is set up for the event.

The Track and Field Gazette recently shared some intriguing information about the prize pool for the Tokyo Championships on X. Gold medalists will take home $70,000, silver medalists will get $35,000, and bronze winners will earn $22,000, adding up to a total prize fund of $8.498 million.

Even though this amount might look significant, the track and field community is pretty upset about it, as this event will feature athletes like Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson. The frustration is compounded by the fact that World Athletics, the sport’s governing body, has long positioned the World Championships as its premier event, yet the prize money has not kept pace with the evolving landscape of the sport.

Just to give you some context, the Diamond League will be increasing its prize pool to over $9 million in its 2025 edition, which really highlights the difference between the Championships and other professional events out there. In light of this reward money, what were the supporters’ precise thoughts?

A big disappointment, considering the presence of Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson

Yeah, it’s no surprise that the track and field fans weren’t thrilled. Even though notable figures like Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles would be attending the event, one fan found the prize money to be “embarrassing theft of athlete’s labour.” This comment highlights the main issue, stating, “This sport needs alot of sponsors. This is no money.” Another fan said, “Extremely low for the best in the world. Athletes deserve to be compensated much better.” ‘

It gets a bit more concerning when you look at it through the lens of inflation. A comparison made by Olympic medalist and track and field expert Rori Dunk reveals a tougher reality. The prize money at the World Championships hasn’t changed much over the past ten years, even though the cost of living has really gone up. Back in 2015, the gold medal payout was $60,000, which is only $10,000 shy of what they’ll be giving out in 2025. The expert says that when you adjust for inflation, that number should be around $81,778 now.

However, this fan compared the sport with another prestigious event, exposing the truth, “After a week of watching the US open, I’m baffled by the prize money in track and field. You get a $110,000 for just reaching the first round in the US open. This sport is truly underfunded.” Another fan mentioned, “People are so underpaid compared to other sports.”

The big difference in prize money really highlights a serious economic issue in track and field. To help the sport grow, the governing body really needs to focus on making sure athletes are fairly compensated for their top-notch skills.