Olympic gold is great, but athletes say some cash to go with it is even better

By HOWARD FENDRICH and EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writers

NEW YORK (AP) — Athletes in plenty of sports compete for plenty of cash. Olympians? Not so much. The International Olympic Committee has always resisted that sort of thing. But after more than 100 years of striving to earn Olympic gold track and field athletes at the Paris Games will join that money-making club thanks to the sport’s governing body. In a first-of-its-kind development, the runners, throwers and jumpers lining up at the Stade de France in August will be trying to win a $50,000 check to go with the gold. It’s a novel — some might say overdue — concept that has athletes in other sports wondering if they can get a piece of that action.