Life
These days, everybody has a side hustle, even your favorite athletes. Olympians are adored by people across the world, but adoration doesn’t pay the bills. Even though training for the Olympic games can feel like a full-time job, it doesn’t actually pay the wages of a full-time job, so many Olympians pick up part-time side hustles to support themselves when they’re not training.
You may be thinking, isn't the Olympic prize money enough? Unfortunately, no. The prize for winning a gold medal is $25,000, according to CNN, but that’s not a competitive rate for a winning athlete. And there can be only be one gold medal winner per event, so there are many athletes that will walk away without any prize money to show for their intense training. (If you're wondering how it works for teams of people, a United States Olympic Committee representative tells Bustle that each member of a winning team gets the full value of the medal.)
Some Olympians score endorsement deals after becoming a household name and become a celebrity in their own right. Take Gabby Douglas, for instance. She became one of the most popular stories to come out of the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics as a member of United States’ gold medal-winning women's gymnastics team. She now has her own Barbie doll and she starred in a reality TV show called “Douglas Family Gold.” But not all Olympians score endorsement deals; some of them have totally normal gigs. Here's what 12 Winter and Summer Olympians do to make a little extra cash when they're not at the Games.
1
Mara Abbott
Abbott was the first U.S. cyclist ever to win the Giro Donne, one of the Grand Tours of women's bicycle racing, according to Cycling News. She also competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, reports TIME. She retired from cycling in 2016, and now she supports herself by teaching yoga and working at her local farmer's market, according to TIME.
2
Michelle Carter
Michelle Carter is known as the Shot Diva for her impressive shot-putting skills at the Olympic games in Rio. While she’s not winning medals, she is a makeup artist, according to TODAY. She also founded a girls’ sports confidence camp called You Throw Girl.
3
Briana Provancha
Lots of folks have experience in retail, and sailor Briana Provancha, who competed in 2016 Summer Olympics, is no different. She got her gig as a Cole Haan sales associate through the Team USA Career Program, which helps athletes find a part-time job while they're training.
4
Enkelejda Shehaj
If you’re ever in the Naples, Florida area, check out Olympia Dining. It’s a Greek restaurant owned by Olympic shooter Enkelejda Shehaj, who competed in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, according to the restaurant's website.
5
Angel McCoughtry
Ever wonder what music Olympians listen to get in the zone? Basketball small forward Angel McCoughtry probably listens to her own song because when she’s not shooting three-pointers, as she did in the 2012 Summer Olympics and on her current team now: she’s a musician with a single on Spotify.
6
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is well-known for being the GOAT at tennis, but few people know that in addition to having four gold medals, she’s also a fashion designer. She has an athleisure line that is sold on HSN.
7
Heather Stanning
In addition to be a gold medal-winning rower, Heather Stanning is also an officer in Britain’s Royal Artillery, making her country proud in more ways than one.
8
Ibtihaj Muhammad
Ibtihaj Muhammad began fencing as a teen and went on to inspire millions during the 2016 Summer Olympics by being the first woman to ever wear a hijab while competing for the United States. Muhammad is also the owner of Louella, a modest fashion clothing line.
9
Katelin Snyder
Katelin Snyder is an Olympic rower who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics. She now coaches younger rowers for the Princeton National Rowing Association.
10
Raheleh Asemani
Raheleh Asemani became the first refugee athlete to qualify for the Olympics in taekwondo in 2016. While training for the Olympics, Asemani carried mail in Belgium, according to NBC Olympics.
11
Tonya Harding
Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding has also worked as a hardware sales clerk at Sears in addition to competing in the Lillehammer, Norway, Olympics in 1994, where she placed 8th. And according to the New York Times, every day some guy would ask if there was a man who could help him even though she knew a lot about tools.
12
Ronda Rousey
Rousey, an MMA fighter, bartended while she trained for the 2008 Summer Olympics. She went on win the Bronze medal.
There you have it, folks. Olympians are just like the rest of us — they’re always hustlin’. Except, of course, while they're in the Olympic Village.
