(ATR) Bonuses are ready to be paid to Olympians in South Korea and Trinidad and Tobago.
The South Korea goverment will give bonuses worth a total of 3.3 billion won, US$3.07 million, to 254 athletes and coaches for their performances at PyeongChang 2018. The money will be split between 186 Olympic team members and 68 for the Paralympics.
A gold medalist will receive 63 million won, while a silver medalist will get 30 million won and a bronze medalist will be given 25 million won. For medalists in team sports, 47.25 million won will be presented to gold medal winners, 26.25 million won given to each member of silver-winning teams and 18.75 million won to those of bronze-winning teams, according Yonhap News Agency.
Head coaches will receive 80 million won for gold, while 60 million won will given to assistant coaches. Those who didn't win medal at the Games will receive 3 million won each.
Medalists at the Olympics and the Paralympics will receive same amount of money.
South Korea won five gold, eight silver and four bronze medals to finish seventh in the medal standings at the 23rd Winter Olympics.
South Korea had its best ever Winter Paralympic Games performance, with one gold an two bronze medals, and finished 16th among 49 nations.
Trinidad and Tobago Will Pay for Olympic Medals
The government of Trinidad and Tobago wants Olympic medals and says it will pay to help make it happen.
Olympic gold medalists will receive 1 million Trinidad dollars, about $147,000 US, under the plan.
The rewards were announced in conjunction with the inauguration of the new administration of Paula Mae Weeke.
She is the country’s sixth president and its first ever female Head of State.
The cash bonuses will also cover silver and bronze medalists at the Olympics as well as medalists from the world championships in the Olympic sports.
Silver medalists will receive TT $500,000, bronze medalists half that figure.
Athletes with medals in World Cups or World Championships will have TT $500,000 for the gold medal; TT $250,000 for the silver medal and TT $125,000 for the bronze medal.
The new rewards program also includes senior national teams qualifying for the Olympic Games, the World Cup and or the World Championships. The men's field hockey team and the women's volleyball team will be the first beneficiaries. Both have qualified for their respective World Championships in 2018.
Retroactively, bonuses will be given to members of the gold-medal winning men’s 4x400m team at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.
Not to overlook the national sport of cricket, medal winning teams from International Cricket Council competitions in 2017 will also be receiving cash bonuses.
Reported by Miguel Hernandez.