Living the Dream Medal Fund to give out record $350,000 to the 12 World medalists from USA Wrestling in Budapest
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
2018 World champions J'den Cox, David Taylor and Kyle Dake receive their Living the Dream Medal Fund big checks at AWL I in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Also in the presentation are National Coach Bill Zadick, Scott Casber, Assistant National Coach Joe Russell, Dan Russell and LTDMF Steward Andy Barth. Additional ceremonies for the other nine medalists will be held throughout this season. Photo by Justin Hoch.
With the strong performance of Team USA at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary last week, which featured a record 12 individual World medalists, the Living the Dream Medal Fund will give out a record $350,000 in bonuses this year.
The $350,000 payout is the most awarded by the Living the Dream Medal Fund (LDMF) in a non-Olympic year since the program was created in 2009. The previous record was set in 2017, when the World Championships were held in Paris, France, and the payout was $270,000 to nine medalists.
The 2018 World medalists will receive their bonus checks at special presentations to be announced by USA Wrestling and the U.S. Wrestling Foundation.
In addition, with this year’s bonus payments, the Living the Dream Medal Fund has now provided more than $2.4 million in bonuses to medal-winning wrestlers, with the total reaching $2,445,000 over the 10 years of its existence.
For World Championships, the fund provides $50,000 for a gold medal, $25,000 for a silver medal and $15,000 for a bronze medal. During Olympic years, the fund provides $250,000 for an Olympic gold medal, $50,000 for an Olympic silver medal and $25,000 for an Olympic bronze medal. For the Olympic year, the Living the Dream Medal Fund provides wrestlers with the highest level of individual bonuses of any Olympic sport in the United States.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund provides only bonus payments. Wrestling athletes also receive additional support in the form of stipends and performance bonuses at other specific events, as part of their National Team contracts. Many others receive support from professional jobs, club and RTC support, sponsorships and other income sources.
Four of this year’s Living the Dream Medal Fund recipients are among the top six in all-time LTMF earnings, with Jordan Burroughs at No. 1 with $480,000, Kyle Snyder at No. 2 with $375,000, Adeline Gray at No. 5 with $180,000 and J’den Cox at No. 6 with $90,000.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund is led by a group of 13 donors who are called Stewards, along with support from USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
LIVING THE DREAM MEDAL FUND HISTORY
2017-2020 Olympic four year cycle
$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2018 women’s freestyle World gold medal (76 kg)
$50,000 – Kyle Dake, 2018 men’s freestyle World gold medal (79 kg)
$50,000 – David Taylor, 2018 men’s freestyle World gold medal (86 kg)
$50,000 – J’den Cox, 2018 men’s freestyle World gold medal (92 kg)
$25,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2018 men’s freestyle World silver medal (97 kg)
$25,000 – Sarah Hildebrandt, 2018 women’s freestyle World silver medal (53 kg)
$25,000 – Adam Coon, 2018 Greco-Roman World silver medal (130 kg)
$15,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2018 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Nick Gwiazdowski, 2018 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (125 kg)
$15,000 – Joe Colon, 2018 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (61 kg)
$15,000 – Mallory Velte, 2018 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (62 kg)
$15,000 – Tamyra Mensah-Stock, 2018 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (68 kg)
$50,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2017 women’s freestyle World gold medal (58 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2017 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$50,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2017 men’s freestyle World gold medal (97 kg)
$25,000 – Alli Ragan, 2017 women’s freestyle World silver medal (60 kg)
$25,000 – Thomas Gilman, 2017 men’s freestyle World silver medal (57 kg)
$25,000 – James Green, 2017 men’s freestyle World silver medal (70 kg)
$15,000 – Becka Leathers, 2017 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (55 kg)
$15,000 – J’den Cox, 2017 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (86 kg)
$15,000 – Nick Gwiazdowski, 2017 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (125 kg)
Total for 2017-20 cycle so far- $620,000
Total since inception (2009-18) - $2,445,000
2013-2016 Olympic four year cycle
$50,000 – Logan Stieber, 2016 men’s freestyle World gold medal (61 kg)
$25,000 – Alli Ragan, 2016 women’s freestyle World silver medal (60 kg)
$250,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2016 men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (97 kg)
$250,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2016 women’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (53 kg)
$25,000 – J’den Cox, 2016 men’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (86 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2015 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2015 women’s freestyle World gold medal (75 kg)
$50,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2015 men’s freestyle World gold medal (97 kg)
$50,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2015 women’s freestyle World gold medal (55 kg)
$15,000 – Andy Bisek, 2015 Greco-Roman World bronze medal (75 kg)
$15,000 – Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, 2015 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (60 kg)
$15,000 – James Green, 2015 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (
$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2014 women’s freestyle World gold medal (75 kg)
$25,000 – Elena Pirozhkova, 2014 women’s freestyle World silver medal (63 kg)
$15,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2014 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Andy Bisek, 2014 Greco-Roman World bronze medal (75 kg)
$15,000 – Tervel Dlagnev,2014 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (125 kg)
$15,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2014 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (55 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2013 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Adeline Gray, 2013 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (72 kg)
$15,000 – Alyssa Lampe, 2013 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (48 kg)
$15,000 – Elena Pirozhkova, 2013 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (63 kg)
Total for 2013-2016 cycle- $1,075,000
2009-2012 Olympic four-year cycle
$250,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2012 men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (74 kg)
$250,000 – Jake Varner, 2012 men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (96 kg)
$25,000 – Coleman Scott, 2012 men’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (60 kg)
$25,000 – Clarissa Chun, 2012 women’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (48 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2011 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Jake Varner, 2011 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (96 kg)
$15,000 – Adeline Gray, 2011 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (67 kg)
$15,000 – Ali Bernard, 2011 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (72 kg)
$25,000 – Elena Pirozhkova, 2010 women’s freestyle World silver medal (63 kg)
$15,000 – Tatiana Padilla, 2010 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (55 kg)
$25,000 – Jake Herbert, 2009 men’s freestyle World silver medal (84 kg)
$25,000 – Dremiel Byers, 2009 Greco-Roman World silver medal (120 kg)
$15,000 – Tervel Dlagnev, 2009 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (120 kg)
Total for 2009-2012 cycle - $750,000
Career LDMF bonuses
$480,000 – Jordan Burroughs
$375,000 – Kyle Snyder
$365,000 – Helen Maroulis
$265,000 – Jake Varner
$180,000 – Adeline Gray
$90,000 - J’den Cox
$65,000 – Elena Pirozhkova
$50,000 – Logan Stieber, Alli Ragan, Kyle Dake, David Taylor
$40,000 – James Green
$30,000 – Andy Bisek, Tervel Dlagnev, Nick Gwiazdowski
$25,000 – Coleman Scott, Clarissa Chun, Jake Herbert, Dremiel Byers, Thomas Gilman, Sarah Hildebrandt, Adam Coon
$15,000 – Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Alyssa Lampe, Ali Bernard, Tatiana Padilla, Becka Leathers, Joe Colon, Mallory Velte, Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Annual LDMF payouts
2009 - $65,000
2010 - $40,000
2011 – $95,000
2012 – $550,000
2013 – $95,000
2014 – $135,000
2015 – $245,000
2016 - $600,000
2017 - $270,000
2018 - $350,000
With the strong performance of Team USA at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary last week, which featured a record 12 individual World medalists, the Living the Dream Medal Fund will give out a record $350,000 in bonuses this year.
The $350,000 payout is the most awarded by the Living the Dream Medal Fund (LDMF) in a non-Olympic year since the program was created in 2009. The previous record was set in 2017, when the World Championships were held in Paris, France, and the payout was $270,000 to nine medalists.
The 2018 World medalists will receive their bonus checks at special presentations to be announced by USA Wrestling and the U.S. Wrestling Foundation.
In addition, with this year’s bonus payments, the Living the Dream Medal Fund has now provided more than $2.4 million in bonuses to medal-winning wrestlers, with the total reaching $2,445,000 over the 10 years of its existence.
For World Championships, the fund provides $50,000 for a gold medal, $25,000 for a silver medal and $15,000 for a bronze medal. During Olympic years, the fund provides $250,000 for an Olympic gold medal, $50,000 for an Olympic silver medal and $25,000 for an Olympic bronze medal. For the Olympic year, the Living the Dream Medal Fund provides wrestlers with the highest level of individual bonuses of any Olympic sport in the United States.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund provides only bonus payments. Wrestling athletes also receive additional support in the form of stipends and performance bonuses at other specific events, as part of their National Team contracts. Many others receive support from professional jobs, club and RTC support, sponsorships and other income sources.
Four of this year’s Living the Dream Medal Fund recipients are among the top six in all-time LTMF earnings, with Jordan Burroughs at No. 1 with $480,000, Kyle Snyder at No. 2 with $375,000, Adeline Gray at No. 5 with $180,000 and J’den Cox at No. 6 with $90,000.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund is led by a group of 13 donors who are called Stewards, along with support from USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
LIVING THE DREAM MEDAL FUND HISTORY
2017-2020 Olympic four year cycle
$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2018 women’s freestyle World gold medal (76 kg)
$50,000 – Kyle Dake, 2018 men’s freestyle World gold medal (79 kg)
$50,000 – David Taylor, 2018 men’s freestyle World gold medal (86 kg)
$50,000 – J’den Cox, 2018 men’s freestyle World gold medal (92 kg)
$25,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2018 men’s freestyle World silver medal (97 kg)
$25,000 – Sarah Hildebrandt, 2018 women’s freestyle World silver medal (53 kg)
$25,000 – Adam Coon, 2018 Greco-Roman World silver medal (130 kg)
$15,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2018 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Nick Gwiazdowski, 2018 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (125 kg)
$15,000 – Joe Colon, 2018 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (61 kg)
$15,000 – Mallory Velte, 2018 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (62 kg)
$15,000 – Tamyra Mensah-Stock, 2018 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (68 kg)
$50,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2017 women’s freestyle World gold medal (58 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2017 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$50,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2017 men’s freestyle World gold medal (97 kg)
$25,000 – Alli Ragan, 2017 women’s freestyle World silver medal (60 kg)
$25,000 – Thomas Gilman, 2017 men’s freestyle World silver medal (57 kg)
$25,000 – James Green, 2017 men’s freestyle World silver medal (70 kg)
$15,000 – Becka Leathers, 2017 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (55 kg)
$15,000 – J’den Cox, 2017 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (86 kg)
$15,000 – Nick Gwiazdowski, 2017 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (125 kg)
Total for 2017-20 cycle so far- $620,000
Total since inception (2009-18) - $2,445,000
2013-2016 Olympic four year cycle
$50,000 – Logan Stieber, 2016 men’s freestyle World gold medal (61 kg)
$25,000 – Alli Ragan, 2016 women’s freestyle World silver medal (60 kg)
$250,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2016 men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (97 kg)
$250,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2016 women’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (53 kg)
$25,000 – J’den Cox, 2016 men’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (86 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2015 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2015 women’s freestyle World gold medal (75 kg)
$50,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2015 men’s freestyle World gold medal (97 kg)
$50,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2015 women’s freestyle World gold medal (55 kg)
$15,000 – Andy Bisek, 2015 Greco-Roman World bronze medal (75 kg)
$15,000 – Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, 2015 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (60 kg)
$15,000 – James Green, 2015 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (
$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2014 women’s freestyle World gold medal (75 kg)
$25,000 – Elena Pirozhkova, 2014 women’s freestyle World silver medal (63 kg)
$15,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2014 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Andy Bisek, 2014 Greco-Roman World bronze medal (75 kg)
$15,000 – Tervel Dlagnev,2014 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (125 kg)
$15,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2014 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (55 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2013 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Adeline Gray, 2013 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (72 kg)
$15,000 – Alyssa Lampe, 2013 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (48 kg)
$15,000 – Elena Pirozhkova, 2013 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (63 kg)
Total for 2013-2016 cycle- $1,075,000
2009-2012 Olympic four-year cycle
$250,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2012 men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (74 kg)
$250,000 – Jake Varner, 2012 men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal (96 kg)
$25,000 – Coleman Scott, 2012 men’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (60 kg)
$25,000 – Clarissa Chun, 2012 women’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (48 kg)
$50,000 – Jordan Burroughs, 2011 men’s freestyle World gold medal (74 kg)
$15,000 – Jake Varner, 2011 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (96 kg)
$15,000 – Adeline Gray, 2011 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (67 kg)
$15,000 – Ali Bernard, 2011 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (72 kg)
$25,000 – Elena Pirozhkova, 2010 women’s freestyle World silver medal (63 kg)
$15,000 – Tatiana Padilla, 2010 women’s freestyle World bronze medal (55 kg)
$25,000 – Jake Herbert, 2009 men’s freestyle World silver medal (84 kg)
$25,000 – Dremiel Byers, 2009 Greco-Roman World silver medal (120 kg)
$15,000 – Tervel Dlagnev, 2009 men’s freestyle World bronze medal (120 kg)
Total for 2009-2012 cycle - $750,000
Career LDMF bonuses
$480,000 – Jordan Burroughs
$375,000 – Kyle Snyder
$365,000 – Helen Maroulis
$265,000 – Jake Varner
$180,000 – Adeline Gray
$90,000 - J’den Cox
$65,000 – Elena Pirozhkova
$50,000 – Logan Stieber, Alli Ragan, Kyle Dake, David Taylor
$40,000 – James Green
$30,000 – Andy Bisek, Tervel Dlagnev, Nick Gwiazdowski
$25,000 – Coleman Scott, Clarissa Chun, Jake Herbert, Dremiel Byers, Thomas Gilman, Sarah Hildebrandt, Adam Coon
$15,000 – Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Alyssa Lampe, Ali Bernard, Tatiana Padilla, Becka Leathers, Joe Colon, Mallory Velte, Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Annual LDMF payouts
2009 - $65,000
2010 - $40,000
2011 – $95,000
2012 – $550,000
2013 – $95,000
2014 – $135,000
2015 – $245,000
2016 - $600,000
2017 - $270,000
2018 - $350,000
Read More#
USA Wrestling job opportunity: Digital Video Coordinator
Bouzakis, Jaffe, Robinson to go for women’s freestyle bronze at U17 World Championships, Brooks back in repechage
Turner, Crull and Fowler advance to semifinals at U17 Worlds in women’s freestyle; two others from USA eliminated
Olympic medalists Snyder, Hildebrandt lead U.S. into Budapest Ranking Series event, July 13-16
