Nike set to offer Kipro-rich hefty bonus

By Norman Katende

World marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich is set to earn over $50,000 (sh125m) as a bonus from sports kit sponsors Nike for his golden performance in the just concluded World Athletics Championships in Moscow.

The cash reward is on top of the $60,000 (sh165m) Kiprotich earned for finishing first at the event that concluded on Sunday.

Kiprotich, who is under Global Sports Communication, is sponsored by Nike.

The sports giants have been sponsoring the Ugandan for the past three years. Nike also offered Kiprotich a winning package for winning gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Kiprotich, like all other runners sponsored by Nike, has a clause in his contract that  entitles him to a bonus in case he wins a gold medal at an international event.

The IAAF World Championships and Olympic Games are among the events listed. All athletes get bonuses from the different sponsorship packages in their contracts for running better times and also winning international medals.

“Really, I did not know that I won such an amount,” Kiprotich said, sounding unaware, after a source intimated to New Vision about the ($50,000).

It is not known whether his contract with Aqua Sipi, a local mineral water company, also entails him to earn a performance bonus.

Dorcus Inzikuru won an extra $60,000 from her sponsors when she won the IAAF World Championships gold medal in the 3000m steeplechase at Helsinki in 2005.

“I am sure it is over $50, 000,” said a source that preffered anonymity.

World leading sprinter Usain Bolt’s bonus in such events shoots to over $300,000 as he has more sponsors that include Samsung, Puma and Virgin Communications, among others.