World Athletics has announced a significant increase in prize money for the Diamond League, an annual series of top track and field events.
The increase will take effect from the next year.
The decision to increase the total prize money paid throughout the season to 9,240,000 US dollars, the most since the Diamond League’s founding in 2010, was made by the Diamond League General Assembly on Sunday.
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“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” according to a press release.
PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN
Starting from 2025, a total prize money of 500,000 USD will be on offer at each of the 14 regular series meetings, and 2,240,000 USD at the Wanda Diamond League Final.
The total prize money per discipline will be between 30,000 USD and 50,000 USD at the series meetings and between 60,000 USD and 100,000 USD at the Final.
From 2021 until the just-concluded 2024 season, a total prize money of 25,000, spread from first place (which received 10,000 USD) to eighth place, was up for grabs in each Diamond discipline at every series meeting.
Then in the final the Diamond League Champion in each discipline received 30,000 USD, with a further 30,000 USD distributed among the other finalists.
This amounted to a total of 7 million USD in prize money for a season.
Athletes from around the world compete for points in their chosen disciplines in 14 meetings spread across four continents in the Diamond League, which is frequently referred to as the “crown jewel” of athletics.
The winner advances to the Diamond League Final, which is the 15th meeting.
Typically, the entire season’s conflict occurs between April and September.
The two-day Diamond League Final will take place in Zurich on August 27 and 28, 2025, the following year.
Diamond League “remains committed to rewarding the athletes more, while at the same time ensuring the long term sustainability of the series, so it continues to provide vital competition to the athletes for many more years to come,” according to Petr Stastny, CEO of Diamond League AG.
GRAND SLAM TRACK
A new global league, Grand Slam Track, founded by legendary sprinter Michael Johnson, will make its debut in April 2025.
The GST, which will see the fastest men and women in the world go head to head, offers 262,500 USD in prize money at each of its four meets, with each winner receiving 100,000 USD.
The Athlos meet in New York City, which is being organised by Alexis Ohanian, is another recent event that is attracting attention.
This women-only tournament will feature six elite races on September 26.
The races include the 100-, 200-, 400-, 800-, 1500-, and 100-meter hurdles. Prize money for each race is $110,000 USD (with 60,000 USD going to the winner).
ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIP
In 2026, the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship will be hosted in Budapest, Hungary from 11-13 September.
It is a new global competition has a 10 million USD prize pot, with winners set to receive 150,000 USD. The Ultimate Championship is set to be held every two years and athletes will represent their national teams.