Dominican world champion Marileidy Paulino received US$80,000 in cash awards for winning five 400m races in the Wanda Diamond League. The league is the athletics premier one day series. In 2025, she will see a significant increase in her earnings for competing in the Diamond League.
Following a decision by the Diamond League General Assembly on Sunday, 15 September 2024, the total amount of prize money paid over the course of the 2025 season will increase to US$9,240,000 in 2025. Including promotional fees for top athletes, a total of around US$18 million will be paid to athletes in total over the course of the 2025 season, with many more millions being invested in athlete services such as travel and transport, accommodation and medical and physio provision.
Under the new structure, the total prize money awarded per meeting will be US$500,000 at each of the 14 regular series meetings, and US$2,240,000 at the Wanda Diamond League Final.
The total prize money per discipline will be between US$30,000 and US$50,000 at the series meetings and between US$60,000 and US$100,000 at the Final.
As always, prize money is entirely gender-equal, with exactly the same rates for male and female athletes. The increase will also apply to all 32 Diamond Disciplines, benefitting athletes across the full diversity of track and field.
The increase in prize money reflects the Wanda Diamond League’s position as athletics’ premier one-day series and the backbone of the outdoor season for the world’s biggest stars.
With 15 meetings in 13 countries on four different continents, the series provides elite athletes from across the globe with a chance to compete at the highest level from April to September.
As it enters its 16th season in 2025, the series will continue to provide the best conditions possible and highest level services for athletes in all disciplines.
Athletes compete for points at the 14 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final, which will be held in Zurich on 27th and 28th August 2025.
“The Wanda Diamond League remains committed to rewarding the athletes more, whilst 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,” said Petr Stastny, the CEO of Diamond League AG.
In 2024, competitors received US$10,000 for winning a race and US$30,000 for winning the final. Likewise, US$50,000 for breaking a world record during the race.
The Diamond League announcement comes at a time when the Athlos Track Meet Athlos track meet—an all-women’s competition on 26 September 2024 in New York City set a new bar for track races. The race is promising “the largest prize purse ever for a women’s track event,” with US$60,000 going to the winner of each race and prize money down to sixth place.
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DR1 News
19 September 2024