Torri Huske earned the most money out of all the US swimmers at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning $261,875.00 during the 9-day competition. Katie Ledecky was just behind her with $250,714.29. Bobby Finke was the highest-earning man with $145,000.00.
Athletes earn their money from two groups, the USOPC and USA Swimming. The standard funds are paid directly from the USOPC while the enhanced funds are paid from USA Swimming’s budget.
In addition to the numbers being different on how much depending on where they come from, the numbers also vary for relays. Each relay athlete earned the standard fund in full. They also earned the enhanced fund but this was divided equally between all of the relay members in prelims and finals. For example, those who earned $25,714.29 earned $22,500 for silver from the standard fund and an additional $3,214.29 from being a member of the relay ($22,500 divided by 7).
USOPC OPERATION GOLD MONEY (Standard Funds)
- 1st place – $37,500
- 2nd place – $22,500
- 3rd place – $15,000
USOPC OPERATION GOLD MONEY (Enhanced Funds)
- 1st place – $62,500
- 2nd place – $22,500
- 3rd place – $10,000
Note that the “enhanced funds” are paid by the USOPC on behalf of USA Swimming, which allows it to fall under the “Operation Gold” loophole of the NCAA’s rules. That number has declined – in 2012, for example, gold medalists received $75,000 from this USA Swimming fund.
Huske swam to three gold medals and two silver medals, bringing home the highest medals of the US swimming team. She also helped two of the US relays to new World Records.
Huske is one of numerous swimmers who earned money in Operation Gold and is still competing in the NCAA. These athletes will be allowed to earn the money as stated in the NCAA bylaw 12.1.2.1.4.1.2. This bylaw states: “Operation Gold Grant. An individual (prospective student-athlete or student-athlete) may accept funds that are administered by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee pursuant to its Operation Gold program”
US Earnings From 2024 Paris Olympics By Swimmer
Credit to Barry Revzin For Running the Numbers
| Swimmer Name | Money (USD) |
| Torri Huske | $261,875.00 |
| Katie Ledecky | $250,714.29 |
| Regan Smith | $225,625.00 |
| Gretchen Walsh | $161,875.00 |
| Bobby Finke | $145,000.00 |
| Caeleb Dressel | $118,943.45 |
| Kate Douglass | $116,562.50 |
| Nic Fink | $116,026.79 |
| Ryan Murphy | $96,026.79 |
| Jack Alexy | $73,630.95 |
| Chris Guiliano | $73,630.95 |
| Hunter Armstrong | $73,630.95 |
| Abbey Weitzeil | $71,562.50 |
| Charlie Swanson | $71,026.79 |
| Alex Shackell | $71,026.79 |
| Katharine Berkoff | $70,312.50 |
| Simone Manuel | $51,964.29 |
| Luke Hobson | $50,714.29 |
| Carson Foster | $50,714.29 |
| Paige Madden | $50,714.29 |
| Ryan Held | $47,916.67 |
| Matt King | $47,916.67 |
| Lilly King | $45,312.50 |
| Emma Weber | $45,312.50 |
| Katie Grimes | $45,000.00 |
| Erika Connolly | $26,250.00 |
| Drew Kibler | $25,714.29 |
| Kieran Smith | $25,714.29 |
| Brooks Curry | $25,714.29 |
| Blake Pieroni | $25,714.29 |
| Thomas Heilman | $25,714.29 |
| Claire Weinstein | $25,714.29 |
| Erin Gemmell | $25,714.29 |
| Anna Peplowski | $25,714.29 |
| Emma Weyant | $25,000.00 |
Poor Alex – lost a medal and money 😢
Heilman and Weinstein making $25K before heading back to finish high school, that’s a wicked summer job!
Tax free too
Also more than most college kids make in a summer internship
Lol how r people disagreeing with this, $25k is definitely more than most summer internships
Alex Shackell’s is even better – 71K!
M King and R Held making more than L King and E Weber does not make sense. Each swam on gold medal relays once. If anything, the ladies should get more since their final set WR (at least Lilly should).
Did the USA Men’s Basketball Team fold under pressure?
Steph Curry – clutch (let it rain!)
Men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay – choke
Oh yeah, no one has greater pressure than the USA men’s head basketball coach at the Summer Olympics.
Context matters.
What you fail to understand is that the men’s basketball team were undisputed favourites by a thousand miles whereas the medley relay team was merely one of a handful of gold medal contenders.
When was the last time USA Swimming lost the gold medal in the men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay at the Summer Olympics?
Idk but i can guarantee that China didn’t have a 45 (wtf even is that number) free split at the time.
or a 57 breast split for that matter
Are you sure the standard fund isn’t shared by all relay members ?
The USOPC pays 37 500 $ per gold medal won. I don’t think they will pay all members of the relay 37 grand each.
@Braden Keith, @Gold Medal Mel Stewart Can anyone confirm this ?
I can confirm this, at least according to the information athletes were given. Neither organization puts out much information publicly on the topic.
More or less confirmed by the fact that Operation Gold payments in Tokyo totaled $5.6 million. US only won 113 medals by the “one medal per event” accounting, which wouldn’t get close to $5.6 million unless each of the people on those teams (basketball, soccer, relays, etc.) received the bonus.
I dont think the men’s bball team really needs the cash. Tbh. Would be a cool move if they asked for that cash to be redistributed to the non-pro league sports.
I believe relays are handled differently from team events, and Paralympic medalists are included in the Operation Gold total sums.
Thank God USATF saved US swimming from utter embarrassment
Maybe someday the men will win the 4×100 sprint relay again. Perhaps we can have them tag hands like we did in elementary school, instead of having to pass a baton between runners.
The USA Track & Field won the most medals since the 1984 Summer Olympics and doubled its gold medal tally from the Toyko 2020 Olympics.
The difference in the overall medal count between CHN and USA (sorted by gold medals) at the Paris 2024 Olympics is the men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay choke job where three (Murphy, Fink, Armstrong) of the four legs underperformed.
If you did not swim at night, you should not be making more than individual medal winners or finals participants, period. BS system
Charlie Swanson making more than Foster and Hobson that won individual medals is wild
Abby Weitzell got 71K and Emma Weyant (with an ind bronze) only got 25K. Robbery