Page 15 - aruba-today-20240411

A15
SPORTS Thursday 11 april 2024
Track and field becomes first sport to pay prize money at

Olympics. Paris gold medalists get $50,000

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH change in that landscape
AP Sports Writer and the added pressures
Track and field is set to be- on many competitors.”
come the first sport to intro- The United States Olympic
duce prize money at the and Paralympic Commit-
Olympics, with World Ath- tee awarded $37,500 to gold
letics saying Wednesday it medalists at the last Summer
would pay $50,000 to gold Games in Tokyo in 2021. Sin-
medalists in Paris. The move gapore’s National Olympic
is a symbolic break with the Council promises $1 million
amateur past of the Olympics for Olympic gold, a feat only
in one of the games’ most- achieved once so far by a
watched events. Singaporean competitor.
The governing body of In sports like tennis and golf,
athletics said it was setting the Olympic tournament is
aside $2.4 million to pay the the only time in a season that
gold medalists across the 48 many pro players compete
men’s, women’s and mixed for free, with medals on offer
events on the track and field but no prize money.
program for this year’s Paris But Coe didn’t want to specu-
Olympics. Relay teams will late on whether other events
split the $50,000 between could follow track and field’s
their members. Payments for lead. “I’ve always made it a
silver and bronze medalists are Lamont Marcell Jacobs, of Italy poses with his gold medal following the men’s 100-meters final at point not to speak on behalf
planned to start from the 2028 the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, in Tokyo. Associated Press of other sports,” Coe said.
Olympics in Los Angeles. World The move by World Athlet-
Athletics President Sebastian pic Committee “a heads-up” athletes and sports organiza- 75-pence (95-cent) meal ics could be seen as an in-
Coe told reporters that the of its intentions on Wednes- tions at all levels around the voucher and second-class dicator of Coe’s intentions
move is meant “to recognize day morning, shortly before it world. It is up to each IF and rail fare, competing for my for the Olympics as a whole
that the revenue share that published its announcement. NOC to determine how to own country. So believe me, if he makes a run for the IOC
we receive is in large part In response, the IOC said it best serve their athletes and I do understand the nature presidency.
because our athletes are the was up to each sport’s gov- the global development of of the transition we’ve been “I haven’t ruled it in, and I
stars of the show.” erning body to decide how their sport.” in,” Coe said. certainly haven’t ruled it out,”
The prize money will come to spend its share of Olympic The modern Olympics origi- The British runner won gold in Coe said last year when asked
out of the share of Olympic revenue. nated as an amateur sports the 1,500 meters at the 1980 whether he would consider
revenue that that the IOC “The IOC redistributes 90% of event and the IOC does not and 1984 Games in an era running for the IOC’s top
distributes to World Athletics. all its income, in particular to award prize money. However, when Olympic track was on post when Thomas Bach’s
However, the move could the National Olympic Com- many medalists receive pay- the verge of opening up to term ends in 2025. The IOC
upset the balance of power mittees (NOCs) and Interna- ments from their countries’ professional athletes. typically disapproves of any
in the Olympic movement tional Federations (IFs),” the governments, national sports “It’s a completely different public campaigning for the
ahead of the Paris Games. IOC said. “This means that, bodies or from sponsors. planet from when I was com- presidency and Coe’s com-
Coe said World Athletics only every day, the equivalent “I’m probably the last gen- peting, so it’s very important ments drew criticism from
gave the International Olym- of $4.2 million goes to help eration to have been on the that this sport recognizes the Bach. q

McDavid and Vasilevskiy remain tops

in the latest NHLPA player poll

NEW YORK (AP) — NHL play- Players also gave Montre- Vasilevskiy, a two-time Cup
ers still think Edmonton’s al and Edmonton the top winner, has been consid-
Connor McDavid is the best marks for having the best ered the goalie players
skater, Tampa Bay’s Andrei ice in the league, while de- would most choose to win
Vasilevskiy is the top goal- fending champion Vegas one game dating to 2020
tender and Pittsburgh’s and current Stanley Cup when he surpassed Mon-
Sidney Crosby the most favorite Carolina are the treal’s Carey Price for that
well-rounded player in the toughest buildings to play spot.
league, according to the in. A three-time MVP and Lightning teammates Nikita
union’s annual survey re- the reigning winner of the Kucherov (best playmaker)
leased Wednesday. Hart Trophy, McDavid has and Victor Hedman (most Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) blocks
McDavid, Vasilevskiy, Cros- been voted the best skater difficult player to face in a shot on goal during the second period of an NHL hockey
by and Colorado defen- or forward in every version their own end) were also game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday,
seman Cale Makar were of the survey since 2018-19. No. 1 choices. April 6, 2024. Associated Press
among the top answers He’s a four-time winner of Canadian star Marie-Philip
by 639 members who re- the Lester B. Pearson as the Poulin of Montreal was cho- Hockey League. ton.
sponded as part of the most outstanding player in sen the top player to watch She was followed closely Italy was the global destina-
seventh edition of the NHL a season as voted by his in the inaugural season of by American Hilary Knight, tion players would most like
Players Association survey. peers. the Professional Women’s who’s captain of PWHL Bos- to see host NHL games.q