“The Ultimate Gold Rush!”: Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart ignites a massive national firestorm and leaves millions completely paralyzed with shock after ruthlessly dropping a staggering, jaw-dropping mega-cash bombshell on elite athletes for the Commonwealth Games
Gina Rinehart has pledged to reward Australian swimmers who win medals and break world records at the Commonwealth Games with sizeable bonuses.
Potentially the prize pot could reach into triple figures for outstanding athletes.
“I’m hoping that, with these bonuses on offer, we can set a new record this year,” the executive chairman of miner Hancock Prospecting said.
Ms Rinehart, Australia’s richest person, has long been a benefactor of Australian swimming and many of the country’s top swimmers have said they would not have been able to be a full-time athlete without her financial support.
On the eve of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Ms Rinehart has pledged to give any Australian swimmer who wins individual gold $20,000, silver $15,000 and bronze $10,000.
Relay swimmers will also get a bonus per person of $5000 for gold, $3750 for silver and $2500 for bronze.
She has also put a bonus of $30,000 up for grabs for any world records in individual events, and $7500 for each swimmer if a relay world record gets broken.
As much as $100k
Ms Rinehart’s offers mean there could be some serious paydays on the cards for swimmers competing in multiple events.
Mollie O’Callaghan could well be looking at a prize pot of as much $100,000 if she wins gold in the 100m and 200m freestyle and as many as five relays, plus the 100m backstroke if she fills in for Kaylee McKeown.
Lani Pallister could also take home a healthy chunk of change if she wins gold in the 400m, 800m, 1500m and 4x200m relay.
Cameron McEvoy will be aiming to lower his own 50m freestyle world record set earlier this year, while Sam Short has his eye on the 3min40sec barrier in the 400m freestyle.
“There is something very uplifting about seeing an Australian athlete stand on the podium while our flag is raised,” Ms Rinehart said in a statement via her company Hancock Prospecting.
“Such exciting times make Australians proud and deserve to be celebrated.”
The mining magnate said payments would be deposited directly into athletes’ bank accounts within two weeks of the Games concluding.
‘A way of saying thank you’
“Our athletes are outstanding ambassadors for Australia. They are proud to compete for our country, and inspire millions of Australians, especially young people,” added Ms Rinehart.
“These bonuses are a way of Australia saying thank you and showing the appreciation our athletes deserve for bringing our country such a sense of pride and achievement.
“Given the size of our population, we punch well above our weight on the world stage”.
Ms Rinehart said the Commonwealth Games were an “important stepping stone for our future Olympic champions”.
She said 79 per cent of Australian Olympic medallists had previously competed at the Commonwealth Games before getting an Olympic medal.
“Supporting our athletes in Glasgow is also an investment in Australia’s future Olympic success”.
Australian swimmers won 28 gold medals on the Gold Coast in 2018 with 25 golds in Birmingham in 2022.
“I’m hoping that, with these bonuses on offer, we can set a new record this year in Glasgow,” Ms Rinehart said.
“Private enterprise has an important role to play in backing Australians who work hard, strive for excellence and make our nation proud, and I call on more business leaders to step up and do the same.”
A Commonwealth Games Australia spokesman said: “Australia’s best swimmers have a history of always showing up to the Commonwealth Games and we have seen that again here at Glasgow 2026”.
“The opportunity to compete in green and gold is the biggest incentive in making this happen. We commend Mrs Rinehart for her support of Australian sport, it is exemplary.
“The Australian Team partner family has committed millions of dollars to deliver our team to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.”
The spokesman clarified that “Mrs Rinehart and her companies are not Australian Team partners”.
The swimming events kick off on Friday with Pallister going for gold in the 400m freestyle and the men’s and women’s 4x100m freestyle relays.
Champion para swimmer Timothy Hodge and Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy have been named Australia’s flag-bearers for the opening ceremony.