Millions Sha’Carri Richardson deals during season despite Diamond League finale slip.
Sha’Carri Richardson had a successful 2024 season with multiple wins, despite a disappointing finish at the Diamond League final.
Sha’Carri Richardson capped off her 2024 track and field season with a mix of highs and lows, amassing a remarkable prize pool worth millions in the process.
The 24-year-old Olympic gold medalist earned an estimated $535,000 USD (approximately Ksh69 million) over the course of a thrilling season, despite a slightly disappointing finish in the Wanda Diamond League final in Brussels, where she placed eighth in the women’s 100m event.
Richardson began her 2024 season with a series of strong performances on both the US and global stages.
One of her standout moments came at the Paris Olympics, where she secured a gold medal as part of the women’s 4x100m relay team, a victory that not only added to her growing legacy but also boosted her earnings significantly.
According to World Athletics, athletes who win gold in Olympic track and field events receive $50,000, which is split among relay team members. Richardson took home $12,500 (approximately Ksh 1.6 million) from that triumph.
Throughout the season, Richardson also dominated at the USATF events, winning the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in the 100m, which earned her an additional $11,000 (approximately Ksh 1.42million) in prize money.
Richardson’s presence at four Diamond League events in 2024 significantly contributed to her earnings. Notably, she secured second place in the 200m event at the Xiamen Diamond League and third in the 200m race at the Shanghai Diamond League.
These performances brought in $6,000 and $3,500 (approximately Ksh 774,000 and Ksh 451,000), respectively. However, it was her victories in the 100m events at the Eugene Diamond League and Zurich Diamond League that bolstered her earnings the most.
Richardson took home a combined $29,500 (approximately Ksh 3.8 million) for her victories at these meets, running a seasonal best of 10.83 seconds at the Eugene event.
Despite her outstanding season, Richardson’s campaign came to a challenging end at the Brussels Diamond League final, where she hoped to settle the score with her Olympic rival, Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.
Alfred had clinched gold in the women’s 100m at the Paris Olympics with a national record time of 10.72 seconds, leaving Richardson in pursuit of redemption at the Diamond League finals.
However, Alfred once again dominated, winning the race with a time of 10.88 seconds, while Richardson struggled to match her earlier form, finishing eighth with a time of 11.23 seconds.
Though her final performance fell short of expectations, Richardson still walked away with an additional $500 (approximately Ksh 64,000) for her top-eight finish in Brussels.
Overall, her earnings from the 2024 Diamond League season totaled an impressive $53,500 (approximately Ksh 6.9 million), thanks to her podium finishes and exceptional performances.
Despite the disappointing conclusion to her 2024 season Sha’Carri Richardson remains one of the most successful and dynamic athletes in track and field.
