Diamond League raises 2025 prize money to over Sh1bn

Annual multi-sport event Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than Sh1 billion in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers said Wednesday.

Following a decision by the Diamond League General Assembly on Sunday, the total amount of prize money paid throughout the season will increase to Sh1,192,329,600 next year, up from Sh52,906,400, paid out in the just concluded season.

"The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024," the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes' travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.

Under the new structure, the total prize money awarded at the 14 meetings, which start in April, will be Sh64,520,000,and Sh289,049,600 at the Wanda Diamond League Final in August.

The total prize money per discipline will be between Sh3,871,200 and Sh6,452,000 at the series meetings and between Sh7,742,400 and Sh12,904,000) at the Final. 

“The Wanda Diamond League remains committed to rewarding the athletes more, while at the same time ensuring the long-term sustainability of the series, so it continues to provide vital competition to the athletes for many more years to come,” said Petr Stastny, the CEO of Diamond League AG.

The 2024 Diamond League season concluded in Brussels last weekend, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final. During the Brussels finale, six Kenyans won the trophies at the King Baudouin Stadium.

Paris Olympic medallists Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon, Faith Cherotich, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi all triumphed to lift their respective Diamond League trophies.

Chebet, the double Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m gold medallist, reclaimed her 5,000m title with a new meeting record of 14:09.42. 

She beat the previous record of 14:28.89 set by Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana in 2016, although she fell just short of beating her world-leading time of 14:09.52 from Zurich on September 5.

Three-time Olympic and World 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon secured her fifth Diamond League trophy with a meeting record of 3:54.75, beating the previous mark of 3:55.33 set by Turkey's Sureyya Ayankrop in 2003.

Faith Cherotich, the Olympic and World bronze medallist in the 3,000m steeplechase, pulled off a stunning victory over Olympic and World champion Wilfred Yavi of Bahrain to win her first Diamond League Trophy in 9:02.36. 

Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi once again showed his dominance, beating world champion Marco Arop of Canada and Algeria's Djamel Sedjati.

Amos Serem toppled multiple Olympics and world champion, Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, in the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase final, as world 800m champion, Mary Moraa, reclaimed her title.