Athletics Champion Valerie Adams Welcomes World Athletics’ Cash Prize Decision

World Athletics’ decision to reward Olympic champions with cash prizes has been met with mixed reactions from the sports community. New Zealand shot put great Valerie Adams has praised the move, calling it a sign of progress that can inspire other global sports federations to do the same for their athletes.

Adams, a double Olympic champion, believes that the cash prizes will help offset the high costs of training and competition for athletes in sports like athletics, where earnings are not as high as in sports like cricket or rugby. She sees this as a positive step forward for the sport and hopes that other sports bodies will follow suit.

While some have welcomed the decision, others have raised concerns about the fairness of providing cash prizes to athletes in some sports but not others. The British Olympic Association and Association of Summer Olympic International Federations were surprised by the move, while the chief of cycling’s global governing body criticized it as going against the Olympic spirit of solidarity among federations.

Adams, who retired from competition two years ago after a successful career that included two gold medals, believes that the onus is now on other sports organizations to find ways to support their athletes financially. She hopes that the example set by World Athletics will encourage other sports to seek out sponsors and funding to provide similar rewards for their athletes.

As the Paris Olympics approach, Adams is optimistic about New Zealand’s chances and believes that sports like athletics, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming have the potential to bring home medals for the country. With the support of cash prizes for Olympic champions, athletes in these sports may have an extra incentive to push themselves to achieve success on the world stage.