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How the Gen Z’s redefined the Paris Olympics
Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai. PHOTOS | REUTERS
What you need to know:
- FOR THE FUTURE. At the just concluded 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, an international multi-sport event, the Gen Z took a huge junk of the medals and made some headlines along the way. Isaac Ssejjombwe looks at some of the Gen Z who made left a mark at the 2024 Olympics.
GenZ (Generation Z) is a term used to describe those born during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Some sources give the specific year range of 1997–2012, although the years spanned are sometimes contested or debated because generations are difficult to describe. Generation Z follows the millennial generation, sometimes called Generation Y, which followed Generation X, the first generation to be assigned a letter.
Here are some standout GenZ atheletes at the just concluded Olympic Games.
LETSILE TEBOGO-SPRINTER
Sprinter Letsile Tebogo
Having lost his mother Seratiwa Tebogo in May, Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo made history as he became the first athlete from Botswana to win a gold medal at the Olympics, and a first for Africa since 1996 in the 200m sprint.
With this win, the 21-year-old smiled to the bank after the global athletics governing body rewarded gold medalists in Paris with a take-home reward of $50,000 (Shs185m). He is also set to pocket over Shs464m from his Paris Olympics win in the 200m final.
That aside, the Botswana government had also set aside a big purse reward for the Olympians who performed well with gold medalists getting approximately Shs261 million.
JULIEN ALFRED- SPRINTER
Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred
Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia delivered an electrifying performance to win gold in the women’s 100m final with a stunning time of 10.72 getting the better of Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson of the USA. In the Women’s 200 metres, Alfred won a silver medal.
Born June 10, 2001, Alfred’s medal was the first-ever Olympic medal for her country.
Alfred’s gold medal at the Paris Olympics is accompanied by substantial financial rewards. She is set to receive around $150,000 (Shs558million) in prize money from both the World Athletics and the Saint Lucian government.
Julien Alfred’s net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $2 million. This wealth comes from her impressive track record, including Olympic prize money, sponsorship deals, and endorsements.
PERUTH CHEMUTAI-STEEPLECHASE
Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai. PHOTOS | REUTERS
Uganda steeplechase runner Peruth Chemutai (born July 10, 1999) won silver in the 3,000m steeplechase in the Paris Games, in a race won by Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi.
Despite not emulating her golden win in the women’s 3000 metres at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Chemutai will receive some cash prize after the Ugandan government promised to reward every medalist at the Paris Olympic games with a cash prize.
According to the State Minister for Sports, Peter Ogwang, the Athletes who scooped gold at the Paris games would receive Shs100M from the government while silver medalists would bag Shs50M.
SIMONE BILES- GYMNAST
Gymnast Simone Biles dazzled in Paris.
Born 27 years ago, American gymnast Simone Arianne Biles Owens is the most decorated gymnast in history and is considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time with 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals.
She led Team USA to the gold medal in the team event. Biles also won the all-around and vault title at the 2024 Olympics, becoming the first woman since Věra Čáslavská to win two-time Olympic individual all-around gold medals. Biles won silver in the floor exercise behind Rebeca Andrade.
In 2024, Simone Biles is estimated to have a net worth of $20million and like many Olympic athletes, she does not earn a traditional salary. Most of her $16 million fortune has been amassed through various endorsement deals.
In 2022, Biles made Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes, coming in at No. 10. With a Super Bowl commercial, new ads for Subway and Powerade, and an activewear collection with Athleta, among other moves, Biles raked in an estimated $10 million in 2022.
She was also the highest-ranking gymnast on the list, making her the highest-paid female gymnast.
SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON- SPRINTER
Born on March 25, 2000, Sha’Carri Richardson is an American track and field sprinter who competes in the 100 meters and 200 meters races. She won Gold in the women’s 4x100m relay and a silver medal in the women’s 100m athletics in the just concluded Olympics.
The net worth of American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is estimated to be between $1 million to $5 million. Her salary ranges between $45,000 and $50,000. The major chunk of her wealth is from her earnings as a track and field champion and various endorsements with elite brands like Nike, Beats, and Apple Music.
Also consider....
SUMMER ANN MCINTOSH, an 18-year-old Canadian competitive swimmer, a three-time Olympic champion, four-time World Aquatics champion.
MOLLIE GRACE O’CALLAGHAN won three gold medals at the 2024 Olympics and one silver medal.
KARLOS MAY NASAR. Bulgarian weightlifter won gold in the Men’s 89kg. IMANE KHELIF Algerian professional boxer who won a gold medal in the women’s welterweight boxing event.
