Shaanxi to pay elite athletes performance bonuses

XI'AN - The Shaanxi government will pay its elite athletes bonuses for good performances in the 2016 Rio Olympics, 2017 Tianjin National Games and 2018 Asian Games.

According to the resolution, which was proposed by the Shaanxi provincial sports bureau, over 120 players (or teams) and coaches will be awarded over 38 million yuan (5.5 million US dollars).

"Each Olympic silver medal winner will receive 300,000 yuan. 200,000 yuan will go to every bronze medal winner, while each Asian Games champion in Jakarta will receive 100,000 yuan. Each National Games winner will receive 400 000 yuan," an official at the Shaanxi provincial sports bureau told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Head coaches, assistant coaches and research personnel all receive bonuses. Some age group talent and amateurs who participated in the National Games last year, will also be rewarded this time.

In the three big events, Shaanxi athletes earned 19 gold medals, 21 silver medals and 20 bronze medals. Si Yajie, who won a silver medal at the Rio Olympics, two Chinese National Games medals and one Asian Games gold medal, will be paid more than one million yuan in bonuses.