New Report Reveals: More Than $750,000 Has Been Raised For Rio Athletes’ Training & Travel Expenses on GoFundMe

With the 2016 Summer Olympic Games set to kick off this evening in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, crowdfunding platform GoFundMe announced more than $750,000 has been raised for athletes’ training and traveling costs.

GoFundMe CEO Rob Solomon shared:

“More and more, athletes and sports teams—from Little League players on up to world-class champions—rely on GoFundMe to rally their communities for support. This easy way to raise funds helps athletes of all ages and abilities to keep their focus on training and competing. With the world turning its eyes to Rio, we’re inspired by the thousands of GoFundMe donors supporting these athletes as they compete and work to make their dreams come true.”

Last month, GoFundMe dubbed decathlete Jeremy Taiwo the winner of its global Olympic athlete competition. This contest was announced in June as a way to help athletes achieve their Olympic dreams. The funding portal revealed the Olympian who secures the most funds in a campaign between June 27th and July 15th will win the competition’s $10,000 prize. Here’s the breakdown of the contest’s rules:

• How to Qualify: Athletes must be an Olympian on the Road to Rio. They are only eligible if they have already qualified for the Olympics or if they are participating in an upcoming Olympic trial.
• How to Win: The competition starts onMonday, June 27th at 12 pm PT throughFriday, July 15th at 12 pm PT. If an athlete does not have a GoFundMe campaign and wishes to compete for the $10,000 prize, they can create a campaign and raise funds through Friday, July 15th.

Due to a series of major surgery, Taiwo was unable to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He is looking to raise $47,000 for specialized shoes for his event, along with coaching, strength training, physical therapy, nutrition and travel expenses. He shared:

“I am so grateful, and amazed, that GoFundMe is awarding me this, after being the platform and reason I could achieve my goal in the first place. It takes a village to raise a decathlete, and I am so proud to be a part of this community, and for the continued support from my home state of Washington, for making this all possible.”

Solomon added:

“I’m thrilled that a dedicated, world-class athlete like Jeremy Taiwo has won this GoFundMe competition. To attain his level of athletic achievement in the face of financial challenges takes tremendous sacrifice, hard work, and community support. Campaigns like Jeremy’s show what GoFundMe is all about: empowering people to help people achieve their dreams.”