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Kenya’s President William Ruto handsomely rewarded members of Kenya’s Summer Olympic Team during a Thursday ceremony for the returning athletes.

Gold medalists picked up about 23,038 U.S. dollars apiece (three million Kenya shillings). Silver medalists received around 15,358 U.S. dollars. Bronze winners took home approximately 7,678 U.S. dollars.

“Of the eight gold medals won by Africa, four were ours—this is a testament to our excellence,” Ruto noted. He also highlighted the role of Kenyan athletes as powerful ambassadors for the country, attracting global tourism and bolstering the nation’s image.

“Your victories are not just medals that you carry. They are symbols of our national character, a testament to what we can achieve when we believe in ourselves,” he said.

Kenya finished 17th in the final Olympics medal tally, Its athletes won 11 medals, including four golds, making it Africa’s top performer.  But while celebrating Kenya’s success, President Ruto warned the country’s sports apparatus against resting on its laurels.

“Our dominance in athletics is under growing pressure,” he warned. “We must innovate and implement strategies to reclaim our leading edge.”

To do that, the president revealed plans to establish 25 new sports academies to identify and nurture talent from the grassroots level.  The president promised a collaborative effort between national and county governments and sports federations to craft a comprehensive sports policy framework. This initiative aims to fill existing gaps and tackle the challenges facing Kenya’s diverse sporting disciplines.

The president also challenged the country’s business establishment and investors, urging them to seize untapped opportunities in the sports sector.

“Our business community needs to step up,” Ruto said. “There’s a whole commercial world around sports. Why weren’t Kenyan sportswear and gear available in Paris? We need our entrepreneurs to invest, brand, and elevate our sports on the global stage.”