Kenya athletics prize money
Kenya has taken $4,636,250 out of athletics, 3rd of the 121 countries the sport has paid. Emmanuel Wanyonyi is the biggest earner on $431,500, 9.3% of the national total.
$4,524,250 of that belongs to 100 athletes by name. The other $112,000 is the federation's, won by nine teams whose purse is paid to the country rather than split between the runners.
Every Kenya athlete athletics has paid
100 of them, biggest first
| # | ATHLETE | PAID | WINS | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emmanuel Wanyonyi | 25 | 16 | $431,500 |
| 2 | Faith Kipyegon | 24 | 18 | $380,000 |
| 3 | Beatrice Chebet | 20 | 14 | $350,250 |
| 4 | Timothy Cheruiyot | 33 | 10 | $276,500 |
| 5 | Faith Cherotich | 21 | 9 | $268,000 |
| 6 | Beatrice Chepkoech | 20 | 9 | $188,500 |
| 7 | Mary Moraa | 17 | 9 | $157,500 |
| 8 | Wyclife Kinyamal | 29 | 4 | $112,750 |
| 9 | Emmanuel Korir | 15 | 3 | $111,500 |
| 10 | Nelly Chepchirchir | 11 | 4 | $106,750 |
| 11 | Agnes Jebet Ngetich | 7 | 3 | $99,750 |
| 12 | Lilian Odira | 4 | 2 | $95,500 |
| 13 | Abraham Kibiwot | 24 | — | $92,500 |
| 14 | Reynold Cheruiyot | 18 | 1 | $91,500 |
| 15 | Hyvin Jepkemoi | 13 | 4 | $82,500 |
| 16 | Ferguson Rotich | 17 | 2 | $79,250 |
| 17 | Ferdinand Omanyala | 15 | 2 | $78,250 |
| 18 | Edmund Serem | 12 | — | $72,000 |
| 19 | Simon Koech | 8 | 3 | $71,000 |
| 20 | Dorcus Ewoi | 6 | — | $70,500 |
| 21 | Benjamin Kigen | 15 | 2 | $70,250 |
| 22 | Peres Jepchirchir | 1 | 1 | $70,000 |
| 23 | Phanuel Koech | 6 | 1 | $68,000 |
| 24 | Nicholas Kimeli | 14 | 1 | $62,750 |
| 25 | Lilian Kasait Rengeruk | 12 | 1 | $58,750 |
| 26 | Amos Serem | 11 | 1 | $57,250 |
| 27 | Jacob Krop | 16 | 1 | $51,250 |
| 28 | Abel Kipsang | 11 | 2 | $46,000 |
| 29 | Doris Lemngole | 6 | 1 | $45,000 |
| 30 | Margaret Kipkemboi | 12 | — | $44,250 |
| 31 | Hellen Obiri | 7 | 3 | $43,500 |
| 32 | Elijah Manangoi | 5 | 3 | $42,000 |
| 33 | Julius Yego | 15 | 1 | $40,500 |
| 34 | Jackline Chepkoech | 9 | 2 | $37,250 |
| 35 | Leonard Bett | 12 | — | $35,500 |
| 36 | Celliphine Chespol | 10 | — | $33,750 |
| 37 | Agnes Jebet Tirop | 5 | 1 | $27,500 |
| 38 | Ronald Kwemoi | 8 | 1 | $27,500 |
| 39 | Cornelius Kemboi | 12 | — | $26,000 |
| 40 | Susan Ejore | 8 | — | $24,250 |
| 41 | Ishmael Kipkurui | 4 | — | $24,000 |
| 42 | Bethwell Birgen | 8 | — | $18,250 |
| 43 | Margaret Akidor | 4 | 1 | $17,750 |
| 44 | Winny Chebet | 6 | — | $17,750 |
| 45 | Caroline Nyaga | 9 | — | $16,500 |
| 46 | Edwin Kurgat | 5 | — | $16,500 |
| 47 | Sarah Moraa | 1 | — | $16,000 |
| 48 | Brian Komen | 4 | 1 | $15,750 |
| 49 | Charles Simotwo | 8 | — | $15,250 |
| 50 | Benson Kiplangat | 3 | — | $15,000 |
| 51 | Vincent Kibet | 5 | — | $14,250 |
| 52 | Margaret Wambui | 3 | — | $12,000 |
| 53 | Daniel Ebenyo | 2 | — | $11,250 |
| 54 | Edinah Jebitok | 4 | — | $11,000 |
| 55 | Mercy Cherono | 1 | 1 | $10,000 |
| 56 | Noah Kibet | 1 | 1 | $10,000 |
| 57 | Conseslus Kipruto | 4 | — | $9,500 |
| 58 | Mathew Sawe | 3 | — | $9,000 |
| 59 | Samwel Chebolei Masai | 3 | — | $8,250 |
| 60 | Silas Kiplagat | 2 | — | $7,500 |
| 61 | Purity Cherotich Kirui | 4 | — | $7,000 |
| 62 | Festus Lagat | 2 | — | $6,000 |
| 63 | Janeth Chepngetich | 1 | — | $6,000 |
| 64 | Kipyegon Bett | 1 | — | $6,000 |
| 65 | Mercy Oketch | 1 | — | $6,000 |
| 66 | Cornelius Tuwei | 3 | — | $5,750 |
| 67 | Aaron Cheminingwa | 3 | — | $5,000 |
| 68 | Gloria Kite | 3 | — | $5,000 |
| 69 | Robert Biwott | 2 | — | $5,000 |
| 70 | Rosefline Chepngetich | 4 | — | $4,750 |
| 71 | Collins Kipruto | 2 | — | $4,250 |
| 72 | Michael Kibet | 2 | — | $4,250 |
| 73 | Eunice Sum | 1 | — | $4,000 |
| 74 | Nicholas Kipkoech | 1 | — | $4,000 |
| 75 | Stanley Mburu | 2 | — | $4,000 |
| 76 | Teresia Muthoni Gateri | 2 | — | $4,000 |
| 77 | Eva Cherono | 3 | — | $3,500 |
| 78 | Michael Saruni | 2 | — | $3,500 |
| 79 | Caleb Ndiku | 1 | — | $3,000 |
| 80 | Hellen Ekalale Lobun | 1 | — | $2,500 |
| 81 | Denis Kipkoech | 1 | — | $2,000 |
| 82 | Fancy Cherono | 2 | — | $2,000 |
| 83 | Job Koech Kinyor | 1 | — | $2,000 |
| 84 | Judy Kiyeng | 2 | — | $2,000 |
| 85 | Lawrence Kemboi | 2 | — | $2,000 |
| 86 | Mathew Kipsang | 1 | — | $2,000 |
| 87 | Nelvin Jepkemboi | 1 | — | $2,000 |
| 88 | Ngeno Kipngetich | 1 | — | $2,000 |
| 89 | Winnie Jemutai | 1 | — | $2,000 |
| 90 | Joan Kipkemoi | 1 | — | $1,500 |
| 91 | Kamar Etyang | 1 | — | $1,250 |
| 92 | Sheila Chelangat | 1 | — | $1,250 |
| 93 | Cynthia Chepkirui | 1 | — | $1,000 |
| 94 | Elias Ngeny | 1 | — | $1,000 |
| 95 | Justus Soget | 1 | — | $1,000 |
| 96 | Vincent Kibet Keter | 1 | — | $1,000 |
| 97 | Emmanuel Korir Kiplagat | 1 | — | $500 |
| 98 | Mark Owon Lomuket | 1 | — | $500 |
| 99 | Robert Kiprop | 1 | — | $500 |
| 100 | Selah Jepleting Busienei | 1 | — | $500 |
Career totals across all six competitions, not a single season. PAID is how many finishing places were paid for, which is a different count from wins: a second place in a Diamond League final and a world title are both one payment. 97 of these athletes have a page of their own here.
The biggest earners
The top twelve of 100
Emmanuel Wanyonyi holds 9.3% of everything Kenya has won in athletics. The three biggest hold 25.1% of it between them, and $45,243 is what the national total works out at per paid athlete.
Where the money comes from
All six competitions, and what each has sent Kenya
| COMPETITION | ATHLETES | WINS | TO ATHLETES | TO FEDERATION | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond League | 97 | 130 | $3,621,250$3.6m | — | $3,621,250$3.6m |
| World Championships | 18 | 7 | $714,000 | — | $714,000 |
| Indoor Championships | 3 | — | $20,000 | — | $20,000 |
| Ultimate Championship | 1 | — | $40,000 | — | $40,000 |
| World Relays | — | — | — | $24,000 | $24,000 |
| Cross Country | 9 | 5 | $129,000 | $88,000 | $217,000 |
| All six | 100 | 142 | $4,524,250$4.5m | $112,000 | $4,636,250$4.6m |
The Diamond League is the biggest of the six for Kenya on $3,621,250, 78.1% of the national total. All six have paid Kenya, which only five of the 121 countries can say.
The ATHLETES column counts the people each competition paid, so it does not add up to 100: 24 athletes have been paid by more than one of the six, and are counted in every row that paid them and once in the national total. Emmanuel Wanyonyi has been paid by three of them: the Diamond League, the World Championships and the Ultimate Championship.
The cheques that went to the federation
9 team payments, paid to Kenya rather than to anyone who ran
| RACE | PLACE | WHO RAN | PURSE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior men's race, 2024 | 1st | Benson Kiplangat, Nicholas Kimeli, Samwel Chebolei Masai, Sabastian Kimaru Sawe | $20,000 |
| Senior women's race, 2024 | 1st | Beatrice Chebet, Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, Margaret Kipkemboi, Agnes Jebet Ngetich | $20,000 |
| Senior men's race, 2026 | 2nd | Daniel Ebenyo, Ishmael Kipkurui, Denis Kipkoech Kemboi Kipkemoi, Kevin Chepsergon Chesang | $16,000 |
| Senior women's race, 2026 | 2nd | Agnes Jebet Ngetich, Maurine Jepkoech Chebor, Caren Chebet, Rebecca Mwangi | $16,000 |
| Mixed relay, 2024 | 1st | Reynold Cheruiyot, Virginia Nyambura, Kyumbe Munguti, Purity Chepkirui | $12,000 |
| Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay, 2025 | 3rd | David Kapirante, Mercy Chebet, Brian Onyari Tinega, Mercy Oketch | $10,000 |
| Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay, 2026 | 4th | George Mutinda, Mercy Chebet, Kelvin Tonui, Mercy Oketch | $8,000 |
| Men's 4 × 400 metres relay, 2025 | 5th | Kelvin Tonui, Zablon Ekwam, Boniface Onyari Mweresa, Kevin Kipkorir | $6,000 |
| Mixed relay, 2026 | 4th | Reynold Cheruiyot, Winfred Nzisa Mbithe, Kyumbe Munguti, Purity Chepkirui | $4,000 |
None of this is in any athlete's total above, here or anywhere else on the site. A relay purse is paid to the team whole, a World Relays ladder place is a country's, and a cross country team standing pays the federation behind the first four runners home.
Kenya against the rest
Where $4,636,250 puts Kenya
That is 6.2% of the $74,963,667 athletics has paid to a country, and 3rd out of 121. Kenya has Jamaica above on $4,659,750 and Great Britain below on $3,411,000.
The biggest of the 121 is the United States on $16,292,792, which is 21.7% of everything the sport has paid to a country. The full money list ranks every one of them, and the six competitions behind these figures each have a section of their own.
Countries either side of Kenya
- United States
- Jamaica
- Great Britain
- Ethiopia
- Australia
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- Germany
- Norway
- Ukraine
- Canada
- Switzerland
- France
- Cuba
- Poland
- Botswana
- South Africa
- Greece
- China
- Brazil
- Spain
- New Zealand
- Dominican Republic
- Portugal
- Japan
- Nigeria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Slovenia
- Uganda
- Czechia
- Morocco
- Algeria
- Bahamas
- Serbia
- Grenada
- Saint Lucia
- Authorised Neutral Athletes
- Ivory Coast
Frequently asked questions
How much prize money has Kenya won in athletics?
$4,636,250 across the six competitions this section holds: the Diamond League, the World Championships, the World Indoor Championships, the Ultimate Championship, the World Relays and the World Cross Country Championships. That is 3rd of the 121 countries athletics has paid, and 6.2% of the $74,963,667 the sport has sent to a country.
Which Kenya athlete earns the most prize money?
Emmanuel Wanyonyi, on $431,500 from 25 paid finishes and sixteen wins. That is 9.3% of everything Kenya has won. Faith Kipyegon is next on $380,000.
Does prize money won by Kenya go to the athlete or the federation?
$4,524,250 of that belongs to 100 athletes by name. The other $112,000 is the federation's, won by nine teams whose purse is paid to the country rather than split between the runners.
How many athletes from Kenya have won athletics prize money?
100, sharing $4,524,250 between them, which is $45,243 each. 36 of them have won a title, 142 in all. 24 have been paid by more than one of the six competitions.
Where to next
The competitions that paid Kenya
Every figure on this page comes out of one of the six below, and each has its own section here, event by event and edition by edition, with the full ladder of what each finishing place was worth. The country money list puts Kenya against the other 120 the sport has paid.