It won’t be football with its thousand-year-old salaries, it won’t be the NBA or the NFL with its overpaid stars, but also in in the world of great athletics, on an economic level, something is moving.
And we saw it at Valencia Half Marathon last Sunday, a record-breaking race, given the men’s world record and 3 of the 4 best women’s times in history. Now, after performances of this caliber, a question arises: how much these athletes pocketed for their exploits on Spanish roads?
How much did Kejelcha earn for the world record in Valencia?
Just one second, that was enough Yomif Kejelcha to become the fastest man ever over 21 kilometers. A race characterized by incredible passages and concluded in 57 minutes and 30 seconds, at a fantastic average of 2’43” per kilometre.
A result that allowed the Ethiopian to collect not only the 35 thousand euros expected for those who finished the race in a time of less than 58’30”, but also the 70 thousand euros for the athlete who broke the world record, for a total prize of 105 thousand euros.
Among women, only the world record was missing, for rest in Valencia you have seen everything: Agnes Ngetich, already the fastest in history over 5,000 and 10,000 metres, on her debut in half, ran the second fastest time ever (1h03:04). Beaten only by Letensebet Gidey’s 2021 record (1h02’52”). The Kenyan, even without a record, was able to reassure herself with a check for 35 thousand euros expected for those who won with a time of less than 65 minutes.
Valencia Half Marathon, how much money the athletes earned
But those of Kejelcha and Ngetich were not the only cash prizes awarded by the organization of the Valencian half. Kaoutar Boulaid, The 35-year-old athlete of Moroccan origins who debuted with the Spanish jersey, setting the new Spanish female record (1h08:47) won 7,000 euros (6,000 euros for the record and 1,000 for being the first Spaniard to cross the finish line). Likewise Thierry I’m with you concluding his race in 59’42”, he earned 1,000 euros for being the best Spaniard at the finish line and another 1,100 for finishing in the top 10 (ninth place).
Even in the world of athletics something is moving, or rather it has already moved: it is worth remembering that on the occasion of the Valencia marathon on December 1st the organization promised 1 million euros to the athlete who breaks the world record.
