"Beyond embarrassing for our sport"- Fans react to World Athletics Championships' prize money featuring Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson and others

The World Athletics Championships featuring Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Julien Alfred, Kishane Thompson, and other top athletes is set to kick off on September 13, 2025. Athletes will be competing for the ultimate world title in the biggest track and field event since the Paris Olympics.

As fans raised their anticipation for the event, the prize money offered to the top 8 finishers was recently revealed, and fans expressed their disappointment while comparing the prize purse with different tournaments like the US Open. This sparked a lot of conversations among fans who expressed that track athletes should be compensated more, especially in such a global event.

The prize money offered at the World Athletics Championships is as follows:

1) $70,000

2) $35,000

3) $22,000

4) $16,000

5) $11,000

6) $7,000

7) $6,000

8) $5,000

For the relay events, the winner is set to receive $80,000, followed by $40,000 for the second position and $20,000 for the third place. Moreover, a bonus of $100,000 will be offered for breaking the World record. Fans compared the prize money to the US Open and shared how there was a massive pay gap in the sport.

"This is beyond embarrassing for our sport. Going out in the first round of a grand slam in tennis is around 100k. Why would any athlete choose track and field?" wrote a fan.

Fitness 23 Vanessa

@VBogenholm

@TrackGazette This is beyond embarrassing for our sport. Going out in the first round of a grand slam in tennis is around 100k. Why would any athlete choose track and field?

"This sport needs a lot of sponsors. This is no money," another fan chimed in.

Sam Baker

@dphleg

@TrackGazette This sport needs alot of sponsors. This is no money

"Just realized now that track and field athletes earn small, compared to other sports, including golf and tennis," wrote another fan.

Here are some more fan reactions:

"Extremely low for the best in the world. Athletes deserve to be compensated much better," tweeted another fan.

"What a disgrace to our sport, we really need to help grow the sport, even if it's supporting mj making grand slam track a team sport would be the best," expressed another fan.

"While tennis players who lost in the first round of the US Open made $110,000 and the winner pocketed 5 million 😅" wrote another fan.

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World Athletics Championships Top athletes ft Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson

Noah Lyles will be returning to compete in the men's 100m and the 200m as the defending champion. Moreover, Noah Lyles will be competing in the men's 4x100m relay as a part of Team USA alongside an incredible group of athletes. Some of Lyles' top competitors include Kishane Thompson, Kenny Bednarek, Letsile Tebogo, and Oblique Sevile.

On the other hand, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone decided to go out of her comfort zone and will be competing in the women's 400m, leaving aside her pet event, the 400m hurdles. Femke Bol will be competing in the 400m hurdles in a quest to

Sha'Carri Richardson will be in action in the women's 100m and will go head-to-head against Melissa Jefferson, Julien Alfred, and other athletes. Noah Lyles will be making an appearance in Tokyo in a quest to clinch three gold medals and extend his dominance as a top-class sprinter.