There’s the mystery box, the new Instagram followers, the worldwide recognition, the stuffed mascot and of course the gold, silver and bronze medals – but for some Paris 2024 Olympic medalists, there are cash prizes, cows, cars and even colonoscopies.
According to a report by CNBC, the International Olympic Committee, the governing body of the Olympic Games, does not award prize money for medals won. However, 14 countries do pay out prizes to athletes who make it to the podium, including the United States.
Here’s a breakdown according to CNBC. All amounts listed have been converted to US dollars:
| COUNTRY | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
| Hong Kong | 768,000 US dollars | 384,000 US dollars | 192,000 US dollars |
| Singapore | 745,000 US dollars | 373,000 US dollars | 186,000 US dollars |
| Indonesia | 300,000 US dollars | 150,000 US dollars | 60,000 US dollars |
| Israel | 271,000 US dollars | 216,000 US dollars | 135,000 US dollars |
| Republic of Kazakhstan | 250,000 US dollars | 150,000 US dollars | 75,000 US dollars |
| Malaysia | 216,000 US dollars | 65,000 US dollars | 22,000 US dollars |
| Spain | 102,000 US dollars | 52,000 US dollars | 33,000 US dollars |
| France | 87,000 US dollars | 43,000 US dollars | 22,000 US dollars |
| South Korea | 45,000 US dollars | 25,000 US dollars | 18,000 US dollars |
| United States | 38,000 US dollars | 23,000 US dollars | 15,000 US dollars |
| Japan | 32,000 US dollars | 13,000 US dollars | 6,000 US dollars |
| Poland | 25,000 US dollars | 19,000 US dollars | 14,000 US dollars |
| Germany | 22,000 US dollars | 16,000 US dollars | 11,000 US dollars |
| Australia | 13,000 US dollars | 10,000 US dollars | 7,000 US dollars |
In some countries, slightly different things are at stake.
South Korean medalists receive a pension in addition to prize money, CNBC reported, in the form of an annual or lump sum payment. Indonesian badminton players also won five cows, a meatball restaurant and a new house for their place on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics, Reuters reported.
But Carlos Yulo, the gymnast who won gold medals in the floor vault in the Philippines, could take home some of the nicest prizes.
See where Biles and other U.S. Olympians rank among the gold and overall medalists in Paris
According to a report from Yahoo! Sports, Yulo will take home a fully furnished two-bedroom apartment, as well as free cookies, ramen, college credits, and even colonoscopies for life.
