Cream Of The Crop: The Highest-Paid Women Olympians

As an athlete, competing in the Olympics is professionally the most renowned level you can reach. But in addition to being the best in their event, Olympians have to be business savvy to channel that excellence into their bank accounts. Discover the highest-paid female Olympians who make their fame work for them.

The 2024 Olympics were in Paris, France, from July 26 to Aug. 11 and were broadcast to billions worldwide. Although the Olympics are one of the most popular sporting events, winners don’t take home a large payment. In the United States, winners get $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze medals.

Though winning a medal doesn’t directly make athletes millionaires, there’s another value they receive. Mikaela Shiffrin is a decorated alpine skier who won her first Winter Olympics gold in 2014. “Winning a medal helps with opportunities, but that also is a fairly short-lived thing, to be honest,” Mikaela Shiffrin told Forbes. “The world moves on fairly quickly, so if you don’t continue to show success or value in the marketplace, then that excitement from the medal disappears.”

These Olympians excelled in their sport, competed at the Olympics, and then made smart moves that built their net worth into the millions.

At just 23, Iga Świątek tops the list of highest-paid female Olympians. From Poland, Świątek is a five-time Grand Slam champion and the world’s No. 1 singles player. She already ranks ninth in the all-time WTA prize money rankings with over $32 million. Outside of tennis, she has endorsements with brands like Visa, Porche, and Rolex.

American-born Eileen Gu, also known by her Chinese name Gu Ailing, represented China in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. At 18, the freestyle skier was the youngest to win two gold medals and one silver medal her first time competing at the Olympics. Her events were the big air, halfpipe, and slopestyle. Gu is also a fashion model and has partnered with many brands like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Estée Lauder.

Tennis marvel Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open at age 19. She also won the Grand Slam doubles title at the 2024 French Open. Gauff ranks 34th in the all-time WTA prize money rankings with over $15.5 million. She’s working with brands like New Balance, Bose, and UPS.

26-year-old Naomi Osaka is Japan’s first-ever Grand Slam tennis champion. After taking a break from tennis, Osaka’s net worth slipped from $51.1 million in 2022 to $15 million in 2024. She remains one of the highest-paid female Olympians. She’s also the co-founder of skincare brand Kinlo, production company Hana Kuma, and talent agency Evolve, alongside her many endorsement deals.

The highest-paid female Olympians inspire girls and women worldwide to strive to be the best and turn their skills into opportunities.