World Athletics Under-20: Here’s how much athletes from Nigeria earn for winning medals

From left- Winners of 200m race women Nigeria's Favour Ofili, Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi dou from Non-Aligned Movement during World Athletics U20 Championships at the Moi International Sports Complex. Aug 21, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The Nigerian government has announced cash rewards for athletes who won medals at the ongoing World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.

The cash rewards would see the athletes receiving 5,000 U.S. dollars (Sh 548,000)  for a gold medal, 3,000 dollars (sh329.000) for a silver medal and 2,000 dollars (Sh 219,000) for a bronze medal, said Sunday Dare, Minister of the Youth and Sports Development, in a statement reaching Xinhua on Saturday.

The minister had pledged to handsomely reward athletes who did well at the championships even before the start of the competition.

At the end of Day 4 competition at the five-day championships, Nigeria had won three gold and two bronze medals.

The medal haul has moved Nigeria to third place on the medals table behind hosts Kenya and Finland.

Nigeria's 4x400m mixed relay team started the gold rush before Imaobong Uko and Udodi Onwuzurike won the respective finals of the women's 400m and the men's 200m events in dominant fashion.

Favour Ofili and Chinacherem Nnamdi won bronze medals respectively in the women's 200m and the men's javelin for Team Nigeria.

More podium finishes for Team Nigeria are expected in the men's and women's 4x100m relays and the women's 4x400m relay on Sunday, final day of the championships.