A new monetary bonus has been announced for the top three finishers—who are also moms—at this weekend’s Based on athlete announcements, there should be in Orlando. In addition to the Last-Minute Olympic Trials Qualifiers for the top 10 finishers, Vita Coco has made a donation of $15,000 to &Mother to create a new Changemaker grant “focused on putting Moms First, Not Last,” according to a statement on the organization’s website.
The bonus will be awarded in three grants of $5,000 each to the top three eligible female finishers who are also mothers.
“We wanted to partner with &Mother in a way that directly addresses the pay gap experienced by working moms everywhere,” said John Tran, Social Impact & Sustainability Program Director at Vita Coco. “What better way to do that than providing a bonus to women who are performing at the highest levels, while also balancing life as a mother?”
To be considered for the grant, mom runners who are competing at the Trials must submit an application by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 1. Among other eligibility rules, recipients of the grant must also be representing their respective country at the marathon, and proof of citizenship or official representation status may be required.
Olympic Marathon Trials Last-Minute Olympic Trials Qualifiers RW+ Membership Benefits Olympic Marathon Trials in the field, with at least 22 between the professional and sub-elite fields combined. It’s one of the deepest and most diverse fields the Trials has ever seen. Keira D’Amato, Betsy Saina, Sara Hall, and Sara Vaughn are some of the moms with the top times going into the Trials. Stephanie Bruce, at 40, will also be running the Trials at four months postpartum, alongside her HOKA NAZ Elite teammates, fellow moms Aliphine Tuliamuk and Kellyn Taylor.
“We are using sports as a demonstration space for the rest of society. It is common knowledge that women who chose motherhood experience a decrease in wages - regardless of their performance - and we are thrilled that partners like Vita Coco see that should not be the case,” said Alysia Montaño, founder and President of &Mother. “We hope to have more partners join us in our mission as we expand to new sports in 2024.”
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, How To Train Calves, Why TikTok Is Flooded With Track Memes Right Now, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
