German 400m runner Alica Schmidt has opened up on the staggeringly low salary she receives for competing on the track.
Schmidt, 24, who was dubbed the ‘world’s sexiest athlete’ by Australian magazine Busted Coverage in 2017, has competed at world and European level for her country, and made the 4x400m relay squad for the 2020 Olympics, but did not compete at the Games.
Despite making it to the pinnacle of her sport, Schmidt revealed in a video on TikTok that she hardly earns anything from athletics.
“In principle, I have to say that it is not easy for most German track and field athletes to make a living from sport,” she said. “If we are in the squad, i.e. in the national team, we receive €700 (£611) from Sporthilfe.”
In fact, she claimed athletes often have to pay extra when entering competitions ‘because you have travel and hotel costs that are not always covered’.
With athletes struggling to make a living exclusively from sport, Schmidt believes most of her peers have to study on the side or take on a part-time job to get by.
Schmidt’s second source of income comes from her work on social media, and she now has 4.7million followers on Instagram, plus a further two million on TikTok.
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Her posts on these social media platforms allow her bring in extra money, and she has expressed her gratitude for being able to build a following that can help her focus on her sporting career.
“I am grateful that I earn my money with social media and can save myself another part-time job,” she said.
Schmidt did not disclose how much money she receives through her presence on social media, but she is clearly someone with one eye on the future.
Despite only being 24 and seemingly having her peak years as an athlete ahead of her, Schmidt is also studying media and communications management, putting herself in a strong position for when her career on the track comes to an end.