Kiwi athletes are set to cash in on top achievements in Rio, receiving about twice what their American counterparts will get. High Performance Sport provides financial incentives for New Zealand Olympians, with gold medallists receiving $60,000 for reaching the pinnacle of their sport. According to AL.com, US gold medal winners receive NZ$35,000, silver $21,000, and bronze $14,000. Silver and bronze medallists are entitled to $55,000, fourth to sixth get $47,500, seventh to eighth receive $40,000 and ninth to 12th are in line for $30,000. The money will come from the state once he returns, and dwarfs the average income of the country's population which is $2100.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 09, 2016 02:26 UTC