History Making Olympian Earned $12 As An Intern After Winning Gold
by Kandiss Edwards
February 3, 2026
At her peak the Olympian earned as much as $200,000 a year in sponsorship deals.
Former U.S. Olympian Lauryn Williams once earned a six-figure sponsorship, and only a few years after she earned $12-an-hour as an intern.
Williams won an Olympic gold medal representing the United States in the 4x100m relay in London 2012. Additionally, she was the runner-up in the women’s bobsleigh at the Sochi games in 2014. At her peak, the Olympian earned as much as $200,000 a year in sponsorship deals. That income declined drastically when she stepped away from decades-long full-time athletics.
Williams spoke to CNBC Make It about the financial reality of being an Olympic athlete in a sport that is not mainstream. She said, that although she’d made history, sponsors did not show interest in supporting her journey.
“The news coverage came, but the sponsors didn’t. I made $80,000 the year I became the first American woman to medal in the Summer and Winter Olympics,” Williams said.
Her earnings were above the poverty line, yet did not even touch the lowest level of middle-class salaries.
“The money doesn’t go quite as far as people think it does, even though it was a pretty good living for a 20-year-old.”
Without consistent endorsement revenue or guaranteed post-Olympic employment, she realized it was time to pivot.
Williams began searching for opportunities to carry her into the next chapter of life. She eventually found an entry-level internship in finance. The transition was difficult as the woman with a heart and resume of a champion was out of her depth.
“I was behind the ball because I was 30 years old and just starting, whereas I had friends who were already doctors and lawyers and well into their careers,” she added. “I spent all of my 20s competing, so I felt kind of insecure that I didn’t have any real work knowledge.”
Though Williams considered herself behind in her career prospects, she succeeded in her pivot to the financial sector. Williams is now the owner of Worth Winning, a financial planning firm dedicated to helping others set up their financial futures. Worth Winning seeks to give young professionals, much like 20-year-old Williams, “clarity” and guidance as they navigate unknown financial waters.
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