Eliud Kipchoge’s Net Worth Overshadowed by Usain Bolt Despite Being the Biggest | Other

Eliud Kipchoge is set to make Olympic history by becoming the first athlete to win three consecutive marathon gold medals. The Kenyan runner will make his fifth and final appearance at the Olympics this Saturday, running through the streets of Paris against the backdrop of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

Kipchoge, 39, already has gold medals from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. In 2012, he made a career-defining decision to switch to road running and became the first man to complete 42.1km in under two hours. He also won the London Marathon four times, setting a record in the process.

But despite his dominance, Kipchoge’s financial success has not matched that of other top athletes. His net worth – estimated at $3m (£2.4m) – pales in comparison to Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt’s $90m (£70.9m), despite the pair being the best-ever at their respective distances.

The Kenyan icon earns around £45,000 per event, according to Sports Brief. He has earned his income from prize money and prestigious sponsorships, including a deal with Nike that spans more than two decades. In 2019, he was awarded a special edition Isuzu D-Max for £41,000 for breaking the two-hour barrier in Austria.

Boasting 2.6m Instagram followers, he lives in the modest Kenyan village of Kaptagat, 30km from Eldoret. Despite Kipchoge’s obvious appeal, Bolt outstripped him on Puma’s endorsement alone, earning him more than $10m (£8.2m) a year.

Bolt is a freak not only because he is the fastest man in the world, standing 6’5”, but also because he is incredibly wealthy for a track star. At his peak, he achieved record-breaking results, helped by lucrative deals with Visa, Gatorade and Nissan.

Bolt, 37, has also released a bestselling autobiography that earned him a hefty advance from HarperCollins. In 2019, he founded an electric scooter company called Bolt Mobility and charges up to £240,000 for appearances.

The Jamaican superstar’s success may have made him richer than Kipchoge. He has achieved unprecedented dominance on the track, winning an astonishing nine gold medals (one has already been stripped) in nine attempts, to Kipchoge’s two.

Bolt’s charisma, iconic celebrations, apt name, the popularity of sprinting as an event and the title of “the fastest man alive” have all added to his appeal. More people are usually drawn to a 9.58-second sprint than a two-hour marathon – but that certainly doesn’t detract from Kipchoge’s star power.