Peres Jepchirchir’s marathon gold medal at the World Championships in Tokyo marked not only a triumphant return to form after injury struggles but also a financial windfall that cements her place among the sport’s top earners.
The Kenyan star delivered a season’s best time of 2:24:43 to claim victory in the women’s marathon. She held off a late charge from Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who finished just two seconds behind, while Uruguay’s Julia Paternain completed the podium. For Jepchirchir, the win was more than just athletic glory — it came with substantial financial rewards.
The World Championships prize money pool stood at approximately US$8.498 million, distributed across individual and relay events. Marathon champions like Jepchirchir receive US$70,000 for their gold medal finish. Silver medalists earn US$35,000, while bronze medalists pocket US$22,000. The payouts extend to the top eight, with fourth through eighth places earning between US$16,000 and US$5,000.
Relay teams are also generously rewarded, with gold medal squads taking home US$80,000 to be shared among team members. On top of this structure, athletes who break a world record during the championships earn an additional US$100,000 bonus, though this did not apply in the marathon final.
For Jepchirchir, the US$70,000 from her Tokyo victory is only part of the story. The Kenyan government has pledged cash bonuses to medal-winning athletes, with gold medalists like Jepchirchir set to receive KSh 3 million (about US$20,000). Silver and bronze medalists will be awarded KSh 2 million and KSh 1 million respectively. This means Jepchirchir’s total earnings from her World Championship success rise to nearly US$90,000 when prize money and government rewards are combined.
The payday is a fitting recognition of her resilience. Since 2022, Jepchirchir has battled persistent injuries that forced her to miss key races and limited her ability to defend major titles. Last year, she managed to win the London Marathon but could only finish 14th at the Paris Olympic Games. Tokyo, however, was different. Returning to full fitness, she proved her class by defeating a world-class field to restore Kenya’s dominance in the marathon.
Beyond the money, the victory signals that Peres Jepchirchir is back at her best. With her confidence restored and her bank account boosted, she has set the stage for another chapter of dominance in women’s marathon running.
