President William Ruto has announced the release of Ksh27 million to reward athletes who represented Kenya in the just-concluded World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Speaking during a breakfast with the Tokyo stars on Thursday, October 2, Ruto revealed that gold medalists would receive Ksh3 million, silver medalists Ksh2 million, and bronze medalists would get Ksh1 million.
In the championships, Kenya secured an impressive second-place finish overall, earning seven gold, two silver, and two bronze medals for a total of 11 medals.
Of the gold medalists, six were women and one was a man. Gold stars included Beatrice Chebet(5,000m & 10,000m), Faith Kipyegon (1,500m), Peres Jepchirchir (women’s marathon), Lillian Odira (800m), Faith Cherotich (3,000m steeplechase), and Emmanuel Wanyonyi (800m).
Silver medallists included Faith Kipyegon and Dorcas Ewoi (1,500m), with Reynold Cheruiyot (1,500m) and Edmund Serem (men’s 3000m steeplechase) as the bronze medalists.
Other than the millions, Ruto also announced that gold medalists would receive an affordable housing unit of their choice, but with certain conditions. In the arrangement, the government would pay for half, with the athletes to pay the other half.
The arrangement was similar to the one Ruto had with Harambee Stars, the men’s national football team, after their exploits at the 2024 African Nations Championship.
Even so, Ruto was quick to hit out at critics after claims that the Affordable housing units were being used as a reward scheme to Kenyan sportsmen.
“There are some who, because of ignorance, believe we are dishing out affordable houses. There is no affordable house that is going to be given to anybody without being paid for,” he noted.
“When we say we are going to make a house available to anybody, including our athletes, it means that the government is going to pay,” Ruto said.
The millions issued by Ruto, part of a revamped rewards program by the government, are set to be an addition to the millions the athletes received as prize money during the championships.
According to World Athletics' official prize structure, athletes who secure podium finishes at the championships are entitled to huge payouts, with gold medallists each earning USD70,000 (Ksh9 million), while silver medallists take home USD35,000 (Ksh4.5 million). Bronze medallists walk away with USD 22,000 (Ksh 2.8 million).
Kenya bagged a whopping USD490,000 (Ksh63.3 million at the current rates) from the gold medals, USD70,000 (Ksh9 million) from silver medals and USD44,000 (Ksh5.6 million) from bronze medallists.
In total, Kenyan athletes reaped a collective Ksh78 million from the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, with Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet among the biggest winners in terms of monetary rewards.
Court Blocks New KWS Park Entry Fees News Just In
