Carlos Yulo’s historic double gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics is being celebrated nationwide, with various brands showering the Golden Boy with gifts. Brands are offering everything from complimentary lifetime buffets to a free set of headlights and foglights for his vehicle.
Yulo is expected to take home at least P10 million in cash and a Gold Olympic Medal of Valor from the Philippine Sports Commission. The 24-year-old elite gymnast will also be awarded a condominium unit in Taguig City, with property development firm Megaworld’s upgraded pledge of a “P32-million fully furnished designed condo unit in McKinley Hill, BGC” complete with “parking, appliances, furniture, and fixtures” plus a P3 million cash bonus.
While the International Olympic Committee does not give prize money to winners at Paris 2024, many nations and territories have offered incentives to their athletes who manage to bag a gold, silver, or bronze medal.
Aside from hefty cash prizes, many national governments, sports organizations and private companies have gifted winners with additional perks, ranging from luxury cars, lifetime flights, and even free food deliveries.
Top Gear Philippines rounds up some of the automotive rewards, travel incentives, and perks from transport companies that Olympic medalists have nabbed around the globe.
Philippines
Aside from being rewarded cash and condominium units, automakers gifted weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz with various vehicles after her win at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.
Foton Philippines awarded the athlete with a 13-seater TransVan, while she was gifted with a Kia Stonic courtesy of AC Motors (now ACMobility) along with driving lessons. The Olympian was also gifted a lifetime fuel supply from Phoenix Petroleum, along with a cash prize through its Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation Inc.
Following the Tokyo Olympics, boxing silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio were also awarded brand-new vehicles from the local automotive company United Asia Automotive Group (UAAGI). Petecio got a Chery Tiggo 2 subcompact crossover (which she named Lighting McQueen), while Paalam received a Foton GraTour MT MPV.
The travel-related rewards aren’t limited to brand-new vehicles. The weightlifting champ Diaz was also given a lifetime’s worth of free flights by AirAsia Philippines, and 80,000 free miles per year for life from flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL). Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific granted free flights to every athlete who represented the country during the Tokyo Olympics.
Russia
The Russian Olympians Foundation has traditionally gifted medalists with luxury cars.
As reported by Reuters, during past Olympics, podium finishers from Russia received luxury SUVs, including premium models from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, and even racehorses among their lavish prizes.
Russian Winter Olympics winners in Turin got Toyota and Lexus cars and Land Cruiser models in 2006 while Audi vehicles awaited champs during the Games in Vancouver in 2010.
The 2016 medalists were gifted with BMW X5s, which several athletes reportedly sold shortly after to avoid paying for their upkeep. Silver and bronze medalists received “less luxurious but still pricey” BMW models: the X4 and the X3.
Malaysia
Malaysian athletes who take home medals during the Paris Olympics will be rewarded with a “foreign-made car” and an SUV from China’s automotive brand Chery. Gold medalists are set to get a Tiggo 8 Pro, silver medalists will be given an Omoda E5, while bronze medalists will take home a Tiggo 7 Pro.
Free food delivery for a year? You heard right. Podium finishers in Malaysia are set to win free GrabFood orders for a year courtesy of delivery and transport company Grab, with gold medalists granted up to one million GrabRewards points. All 110 coaches and officials involved will also be rewarded with GrabFood vouchers.
Singapore
Grab also doled out free rides for champions in Singapore. Following the Rio Games in 2016, Grab in Singapore awarded a swimmer who nabbed a gold medal free transport on the ride-hailing service for him and his family for a year. The Olympian reportedly shared the prize with a blind masseur and para-swimmer.
Singapore Airlines also awarded the champion a million air miles for easy travel.
Hong Kong
According to local media reports, Hong Kong public transit operator MTR Corp. is granting free lifetime tickets to the city’s subway system to gold medalists and other podium finishers in this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Cathay Pacific also said it will give all Hong Kong medal winners free business-class travel for a year.
South Korea
South Korea’s six archers at the Tokyo Games, who claimed four out of five golds, were all given cars by Hyundai, who sponsored the team. Hyundai Motor Group has been supporting the Korea Archery Association since 1985.
Athletes who take home an Olympic medal of any color will also be exempted from 18 months of compulsory military service, which all able-bodied males must undertake by the age of 28.
Jordan
The first-ever gold medalist in Jordan was rewarded generously in cash and kind. He took home a car, a luxury watch, and an appointment of the First Class Order of Distinction from the King.
Saudi Arabia
In Arab countries, Olympic medallists can expect lavish rewards including luxury cars, along with land grants and monetary rewards. Additionally, “champions can expect streets, schools, and bridges to be named after them,” as reported by Channel News Asia.
Indonesia
How about cows instead of cars? Indonesian badminton gold medalists were reportedly rewarded with five cows aside from a franchise in a meatball restaurant and new houses. Indonesian athletes will also enjoy free holidays in the country’s five premier tourism destinations so they can relax after their hard-earned journey.
Now, where do we sign up to become Olympic contenders? Congratulations to all the Philippine representatives in the Paris Olympics!
