Track and Field produces some of the fastest and most powerful athletes in the World. Olympic champions, record-breakers and global icons have emerged from the sport, yet it struggles to break into mainstream financial conversations. While NBA and NFL players sign massive contracts and lucrative deals, track athletes have to put in their blood and sweat in different competitions for some financial stability. The dark reality of the sport has left many within the sport frustrated. It was Justin Gatlin, who recently highlighted the Noah Lyles contract situation, leaving many fans shocked!

Despite being the highest-paid Track athlete, Lyles’s earnings pale in comparison to athletes in other major sports. A discussion on Justin Gaitlin and Rodney Green’s podcast, Ready Set Go, shed light on this issue. An X profile shared a clip where Gaitlin revealed that Lyles’ contract is worth around $2 million—a significant figure in track and field but minuscule when compared to other sports.

“He was sitting at probably 2 mil. That’s it, bro. That is historical in our sport, but if you don’t make an Olympic team or World Championships and they’re paying you big money, they can reduce you. Like so you start off with this amount, and he realized—hold on man, because I got fourth, didn’t lean at the line—now you getting 25k cut and 50k cut off your contract, and now you looking at a whole different contract.” Gaitlin explained. A six-time world champion, three three-time Olympic medalist is track and field’s biggest star. Yet, the earning potential for track athletes remains dismal.

The prize money in track and Field primarily comes from the Diamond League, the Continental Tour, and the World Championships. Even then, the payouts are shockingly low. Take Diamond League for an example. It hosts 15 events in total, with every event featuring different races. A single race winner earns just $10,000. Sha’Carri Richardson won the 100-meter dash in Zurich and took home that amount. But if you finish last, you will only get to earn $500. That means if Noah Lyles were to attend every Diamond League event and go undefeated in either the 100m or 200m, he would earn $170,000. This is even less than what an NFL practice squad player makes in a season.

We all know that track and field enjoys global recognition, and it boasts a huge fan base. However, track and field remains one of the few exceptions where financial rewards don’t match the level of talent and effort shown by the athletes. Ultimately, other sports pay athletes more than track and field athletes, regardless of dominance. While Noah Lyles may be the highest-paid athlete in the sport, his earnings highlight a much larger issue which is the financial struggle that plagues track and field. But do you know who are the most paid athletes in track and field till now?

Track and Field Athletes other than Noah Lyles have set records on the track as well as in bank accounts

Over the years, there have been several prominent track and field athletes like Noah Lyles. While none of those may be as noteworthy as Usain Bolt, there have still been others who have made their country proud. Many had long decorated careers and earned quite a lot of money as well. Their net worth is just as impressive as their athletic careers.

The Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt is not just the fastest man in the world, but the wealthiest man in track and field as well. Bolt’s electrifying performances in the 100m and 200m dashes have made him a global icon. It also attracted lucrative sponsorships and endorsements that contributed significantly to his huge $30 million net worth.

The American sprinter Tyson Gray also holds a prominent place in track and field history, Despite facing setbacks and doping violations, including the loss of an Olympic medal, Gay has earned a special place among 100m and 200m dash running athletes. It also made him wealthy with a net worth estimated at $12 million. Nine times Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis who is also a decorated former track and field athlete. He also won 10 World Championships medals, with eight of them being gold. He typically competed in the 100m, 200m, and long jump events. His net worth is estimated to be around $16 million, making him the second highest-paid sprinter in the world after Bolt.

These athletes have not only shattered records but have also achieved significant financial success. While track and field may not offer the same financial rewards as mainstream sports like football or basketball, these legends have managed to leverage their success into lucrative careers.