The surprising day jobs of 15 US Olympians, from a clown to a dentist

Many Olympians juggle elite training with full-time careers to make ends meet.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The International Olympic Committee does not pay athletes directly for competing or winning medals. Instead, the IOC redistributes 90% of its income to National Olympic Committees and international federations, which then decide how to support athletes in their countries. In the US, this includes medal bonuses, but athletes receive those amounts only if they reach the podium. For many sports, that often isn't enough to fund a career, so Olympians must find other ways to make a living.

Why it matters

This story highlights the financial challenges that many elite athletes face in order to pursue their Olympic dreams. Despite the prestige and media attention surrounding the Olympics, the reality is that most Olympians must work regular jobs to support themselves and their training. This underscores the need for more robust athlete funding and support systems to ensure that the world's best competitors can focus on their sports without the constant worry of making ends meet.

The details

The article profiles 15 US Olympians who have taken on a variety of day jobs to supplement their athletic careers, including a curler who is also a realtor, a biathlete who works in environmental science, and a boxer who has worked as a birthday party clown. These athletes juggle elite training schedules with full-time careers in fields like engineering, dentistry, firefighting, and more. The financial realities of Olympic competition mean that even medal-winning athletes often struggle to make a living solely from their sport.

  • The 2026 Winter Olympics are being held in Milan, Italy.
  • The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics took place earlier this year.

The players

Ryan Cochran-Siegle

A three-time Olympian who won silver medals in the super-G event at the 2022 and 2026 Winter Games. He also works at his family's maple syrup farm in Vermont and is a part-time engineering student.

Korey Dropkin

A US curler who won a silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He split his time between curling competitions and working as a realtor in the years leading up to the Games.

Cory Thiesse

Dropkin's mixed doubles curling partner, who works full-time as a wastewater chemical tester at an environmental lab while also competing internationally.

Paige Jones

A US ski jumper who is pursuing a biomedical engineering degree at the University of North Dakota while also training for the Olympics.

Morelle McCane

A boxer from Cleveland who worked as a daycare supervisor, mailroom worker, and children's birthday party clown to help fund her Olympic run.

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What they’re saying

“I have two full-time jobs. One is curling … my other job is a realtor.”

— Korey Dropkin, US curler (KARE 11)

“That really is helpful for getting time off to go compete, and I just feel really grateful to have a job that pays the bills while I'm able to go and compete in curling.”

— Cory Thiesse, US curler (KARE 11)

“I always think of school as balance to my life as an athlete. It gives me something to think about when I'm not on the hill. I don't want to be ruminating about ski jumping all the time — it's so easy to get in your head, especially when the jump only lasts about five seconds.”

— Paige Jones, US ski jumper (University of North Dakota)

What’s next

The article does not mention any definite and predictable future newsworthy moments related to the stories of these Olympians.

The takeaway

This story underscores the financial challenges that many elite athletes face in order to pursue their Olympic dreams. Despite the prestige and media attention surrounding the Olympics, the reality is that most Olympians must work regular jobs to support themselves and their training. This highlights the need for more robust athlete funding and support systems to ensure that the world's best competitors can focus on their sports without the constant worry of making ends meet.