Paris Olympics: Hong Kong athletes top prize money charts, but British rivals get nothing

Singapore’s Max Maeder and Chinese Taipei’s Hsing-Chun Kuo will also make a hefty sum – USA among countries that pay relatively little

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Along with the pride that comes with winning a gold medal, fencer Vivian Kong will also earn $HK6m in prize money. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:30pm, 9 Aug 2024Updated: 6:37pm, 9 Aug 2024

Hong Kong are believed to be handing out the most in Olympic prize money, out of any region, for medallists at the Paris Games, similar to the levels paid out by Singapore and Chinese Taipei for the Tokyo Games, according to various studies.

Hong Kong’s gold medallists, épéeist Vivian Kong Man-wai and foilist Cheung Ka-long, each bagged HK$6 million (US$767,990) for their remarkable exploits in the French capital, while swimmer Siobhan Haughey took home HK$1.5 million for each of her two bronzes.

The prize money is awarded by Hong Kong Jockey Club, which also offered HK$3m for any silver medallist.

Athletes who finish outside the top three but within the top eight will also receive prize money: HK$750,000 for a fourth-place finish and HK$375,000 for fifth to eighth.

The prize money offered to Hong Kong’s delegation for team-event medals is double those individual amounts, with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded HK$12m, HK$6m and HK$3m, respectively.

Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka-long on the podium after winning the gold medal in the men’s individual foil. Photo: AP

Singaporean kitesurfer Maximilian Maeder, who stands on the cusp of winning the first medal in Paris – possibly a gold – for his country, could in fact be the athlete with the highest payout.