This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
Potential record breakers staring at Doha jackpot ¶
From September 27 to October 6, the world's top athletes will gather at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, for the IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019. The event promises to be an exciting spectacle, with a galaxy of stars vying for top honors.
According to a statement released by the IAAF on September 18, 2019, athletes who set a world record during the championships will be eligible for a special award of $100,000, courtesy of TDK and Qatar National Bank (QNB). However, the performance must be an improvement on the existing IAAF world record. Performances that equal the existing record will not be eligible for the award.
Notable athletes who have received the world record award in the past include Portugal's Ines Henriques, who set a world record of 4:05:56 in the women's 50km race walk at the World Championships in London two years ago, and USA's Ashton Eaton, who broke the decathlon world record in Beijing in 2015 and will be one of the IAAF's Ambassadors in Doha.
TDK's involvement with the IAAF World Championships goes beyond the world record program, as the Japanese electronics company has been the main bib sponsor for men's events for all 16 previous editions and will maintain that involvement in Doha. QNB, which joined the IAAF as a partner last year, will offer the same generous sponsorship package for women's events at the championships.
Aside from the world record program, a total of $7,530,000 in prize money will be paid by the IAAF in Doha. The breakdown of the prize money is as follows:
- Gold: $60,000
- Silver: $30,000
- Bronze: $20,000
- Fourth place: $15,000
- Fifth place: $10,000
- Sixth place: $6,000
- Seventh place: $5,000
- Eighth place: $4,000
For relays, the prize money is as follows:
- Gold: $80,000
- Silver: $40,000
- Bronze: $20,000
- Fourth place: $16,000
- Fifth place: $12,000
- Sixth place: $8,000
- Seventh place: $6,000
- Eighth place: $4,000
The payment of prize money and bonuses is dependent upon the usual ratification process.
