Track and field has always been one of the main events at the Summer Olympics, but ever since Usain Bolt arrived on the scene, the sport has gotten way more notice. Track stars are still a large target for sponsorship and pull in lots of money, especially during the Olympics, so here are the richest track stars of all time.
5. Sanya Richards-Ross – $1.5 Million
Sanya Richards-Ross is an American track and field athlete who runs the 400 meter race. She has also participated in the 4×400 at the Olympics for the United States in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 summer games. She took the gold medal in the 400 meter at the 2012 Olypmics and is the current champion.
4. Yohan Blake – $2 Million
Yohan Blake is a good friend of Usain Bolt and a fellow sprinter for the Jamaican Olympic team.Blake took the silver medal in the 100 meter dash at the 2012 games and was a close second place behind Bolt. His fastest 100 meter dash time is 9.69 seconds, which matches Tyson Gay and is right behind Bolt.
3. Asafa Powell – $6.5 Million
Asafa Powell is 31 years old and one of Jamaica’s top sprinters. He runs the 100 and 200 meter dashes and has competed in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics in track and field. At the 2008 Olympic games, Powell was a part of the Jamaican 4×100 relay team that set the won gold and set the world record.
2. Tyson Gay – $12 Million
Tyson Gay is the top American track and field sprinter that competes in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. Gay currently holds the American record in the 100 meter dash with a 9.69 second time; however, he has never taken home a gold medal from the Olympics. Last year, his silver medal from the 2012 Olympics was taken from him after he tested positive for a banned substance.
1. Usain Bolt – $30 Million
Usain Bolt is the 28 year old track sensation from Jamaica. He came onto the scene and immediately made his presence known by setting the world record in the 100 meter dash with a time of 9.69 seconds during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. A Year later, Bolt broke his own record and brought his time down to 9.58 seconds. He’s been the face of track and field ever since and now has a ton of sponsorship which earned him a net worth of $30 million.
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