Millions it Cost to Produce Shiny Silver Crowns Worn by ATHLOS Winners Faith Kipyegon, Brittany Brown and Co

At ATHLOS, the women-only track event, winning athletes were feted by wearing a shiny silver-looking crown.

Each of the winners in the 100m, 100m hurdles, 200m, 400m, 800m, one-mile and long jump looked fabulous in their crowns and it has now been revealed just how costly that piece of medal is.

In a departure from the traditional medals and bouquets, ATHLOS introduced a new standard of reward for its champions: bespoke sterling silver crowns crafted by luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co, each valued at an astonishing $25,000 (Ksh3.2 million).

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The event, a collaboration between Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and top athletes like Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson aims to revolutionize how track and field stars are compensated and celebrated.

The partnership with Tiffany & Co. marks a significant investment in the sport, with the six crowns awarded at the Icahn Stadium event totaling $150,000 (Ksh19.3 million).

To put this into perspective, the value of a single Athlos crown far exceeds that of an Olympic gold medal. Recent estimates by Bloomberg placed the material worth of a Paris 2024 gold medal, which is composed of 95.2% silver and only 6% gold, at approximately $900 (Ksh115,838).

Ohanian revealed the impressive specifications of the unique prizes on social media. "The sterling silver crown is approximately 4.25 inches high, 7.2 inches in diameter, and weighs 1.4 pounds," he detailed.

The crowns were meticulously handcrafted over ten weeks at Tiffany & Co.'s hollowware workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island, requiring 25 hours of labor for each piece.

The luxury brand, which has been the official trophy provider for the US Open since 1987, employed a blend of traditional and modern techniques to create the statement pieces.

With ATHLOS now among the highest paying track events, with each winner pocketing $60,000, this is some investment from Ohanian.