Tatjana Schoenmaker R850 000 Richer After Heroic Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Showing
- Minister of Sports Nathi Mthethwa announced incentives for medal-winning Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 athletes on Friday
- South African swimming sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker will be rewarded handsomely following her spectacular showing
- All in all, Schoenmaker walks away R850 000 richer, thanks to the two world records she broke making up R360 000 of this amount
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South African swimming sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker bagged two of the three medals the nation walked away with from the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
It is for those efforts that the Minister of Sports Nathi Mthethwa announced incentives on Friday with a better than cool R850 000 bracing to make its way into Schoenmaker's bank account.
Source: Getty Images
The country's only other medallist in Tokyo, surfer Bianca Buitendag, will, for her silver medal, be rewarded with R220 000, IOL reported.
Schoenmaker claimed the gold medal in the 200m breaststroke in a world-record time of 2:18.95, but not before she bagged a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke, in the process, setting an Olympic record time of 1:04.82.
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Athlete trainers to cash in
During a virtual media briefing, Mthethwa said the athletes' trainers would also be rewarded for their part in the medal-winning performances campaigns.
News24 reported that for a gold medal win, the highest tier or category, the athlete will receive R450 000 and the coach R120 000.
A silver medal will see the athlete pocket R220 000 and the coach R70 000, while a bronze medal will ensure the athlete takes home R100 000 and the coach R30 000.
Schoenmaker, for each of her world record swimming times, will receive an extra R180 000 but not the coach. Mthethwa said his department increased the prize money from previous years.
Government supports athletes to achieve their potential
“We have strengthened our recognition and reward programmes [to] contribute to the pool of positive role models for the young people in our country, and inspire the next generation of our athletes,” Mthethwa said.
The minister said the government and his department, in particular, are guided by the core values of an athlete-centred and excellence-breeding sports system. He showered both athletes with felicitations for doing exceptionally at the Olympics.
"Our aim as a department is to provide incentives to applaud individual athletes and to teams that continue to make the country proud by displaying exceptional performance and attaining incredible results," added Mthethwa.
"Schoenmaker and Buitendag, with a silver medal each and gold for the former, for bringing pride and honour to our country, and uplifting our spirits, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic."
Mthethwa says the SA's demographics were not shown at the Olympics
In recent news, Briefly News reported that Mthethwa thinks that the team that was sent to represent South Africa at the Olympics does not show the country's true race demographics.
The South African Sport and Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) sent a delegation of 185 athletes to the Olympics, the highest number the country has ever sent.
The return when it comes to medals has been a bit disappointing with the country only returning three – one gold and two silvers.
Source: Briefly News
