On Monday, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz made history by winning the first-ever gold medal for the Philippines. In honor of her feat, the Filipino government and local businesspeople banded together to award the athlete with a house, a condo, and $660,000.
When news of cash prizes being awarded to Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medalists hit the internet, many — like me — admitted to never realizing that Olympians are paid outside of sponsorships or brand deals.
So I did some digging to learn just how much each country awards its top-performing athletes. Of the 205 competing countries, here are a few of the most notable cash prizes:
Singapore
Kazakhstan
Malaysia
Italy
Hungary
Brazil
Japan
United States of America
South Africa
Canada
Australia
Did any of the prizes surprise you? Or do you think any should be more or less? Let us know in the comments.
And congrats to all the Olympians!