- Winning gold in Milano Cortina can mean substantial prizes.
- Poland gives champions $211,000 and a brand-new Corolla.
- Some nations award winners as much as $792K in cash prizes.
The Winter Olympics are well underway and Norway is dominating the medal chart. However, some athletes can bring home gold in more ways than one.
According to CNBC, individual gold medalists from Poland get a prize package worthy of a game show. Besides a payment of $211,000 (750,000 PLN), they’ll reportedly receive a “two-room” apartment and a Toyota Corolla.
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The 2026 Corolla Hybrid retails for $33,650 (119,600 PLN) in Poland and features a hybridized 1.8-liter engine producing 138 hp (103 kW / 140 PS). This enables the sedan to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 9.3 seconds and have a fuel consumption rating as low as 4.4 L/100 km (53.5 mpg US).
While most athletes are probably more interested in the money and apartment, it’s hard to argue with a free car. The publication also noted they’ll receive jewelry, a painting, and a “holiday voucher.” The latter sounds like a nice way to unwind after years of training that finally paid off.
Unfortunately, as of this writing, Poland only has four medals and none of them are gold. However, there’s plenty of incentive for their athletes to do well.
Some countries offer even larger financial rewards. Singapore reportedly gives gold medalists $792,000, while winners from Hong Kong get $768,000. Coming in a distant third is Malaysia at $256,000, but that’s plenty enough to buy a Corolla and a little peace of mind.