Originally published by John Lohn of Swimming World
23.07.2026
Australian swimmers who reach the podium at the Commonwealth Games are staring at lucarative payouts, thanks to billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart. A longtime supportive of Aussie swimmers, Rinehart is offering medalists from the competition in Glasgow with specific payouts. While a gold medal will be worth $20,000, a silver medal will bring in $15,000 and a bronze medal is worth $10,000. A world record will be worth $30,000.
“There is something very uplifting about seeing an Australian athlete stand on the podium while our flag is raised,” Rinehart said. “Such exciting times make Australians proud and deserve to be celebrated. Athletes who win multiple medals will receive a payment for every medal they win, with payments deposited directly into their accounts within two weeks of the Games concluding.”
In addition to individual medals, relay-team members will also benefit from Rinehart’s generosity. A relay that breaks a world record will land each member $7500. Gold medals will bring in $5,000 per athlete, with $3,750 awarded for silver and $2,500 provided for bronze medals. Athletes will be paid for each medal won, which means earnings could increase quickly.
“These bonuses are a way of Australia saying thank you and showing the appreciation our athletes deserve for bringing our country such a sense of pride and achievement,” Rinehart said.
Rinehart and her Hancock Prospecting have been supportive of Australian swimmers for more than three decades. Through the years, Rinehart has provided more than $60 million to Australian athletes across a variety of sports.
