David Taylor, other NLWC wrestlers earn Olympic bonus; here's what they get

David Taylor and other Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members have received bonuses from USA Wrestling after medaling during the Tokyo Olympics earlier this month.

Taylor won the 86 kilogram freestyle weight class by dominating his first three opponents before scoring a thrilling, last-second (literally) 4-3 victory in the finals over Hassan Yazdanicharati of Iran.

"I've won a lot of medals in my career," Taylor told USA Today. "This one feels a little bit heavier."

According to a press release, USA Wrestling had a record $950,000 to award medalists through its Living the Dream Medal Fund.

It should come as no surprise that Taylor, Minnesota star Gable Steveson, who earned a gold medal of his own in the 125-kilogram freestyle bracket, and Tamyra Mensah-Stock, who won gold in the women's 68-kilogram weight class, earned the biggest share of the pot at $250,000 each, but NLWC members Kyle Snyder, Thomas Gilman, and Helen Maroulis also earned a share for winning silver at 97 kilograms, bronze at 57 kilograms, and bronze at 57 kilograms, respectively.

How much? Here's the breakdown for all of the U.S. medalists, courtesy of USA Wrestling:

$250,000 – Tamyra Mensah-Stock, 2020 women’s freestyle Olympic champion (68 kg)

$250,000 – David Taylor, 2020 men’s freestyle Olympic champion (86 kg)

$250,000 – Gable Steveson, 2020 men’s freestyle Olympic champion (125 kg)

$50,000 – Adeline Gray, 2020 women’s freestyle Olympic silver medal (76 kg)

$50,000 – Kyle Snyder, 2020 men’s freestyle Olympic silver medal (97 kg)

$25,000 – Thomas Gilman, 2020 men’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (57 kg)

$25,000 – Helen Maroulis, 2020 women’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (57 kg)

$25,000 – Kyle Dake, 2020 men’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (74 kg)

$25,000 – Sarah Hildebrandt, 2020 women’s freestyle Olympic bronze medal (50 kg)

Total Olympic Games payout- $950,000

Taylor, Snyder, and Maroulis will all compete for the U.S. in the 2021 Senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway, October 2-10.

According to Yahoo, Taylor has more cash on the way, too, as the Penn State great recently signed a sponsorship deal with Vitamin Shoppe.

“David Taylor is a world-class athlete of the highest caliber as well as an inspiring advocate for healthy living,” Vitamin Shoppe chief executive officer Sharon Leite said in a press release. “That type of passion is one we share at The Vitamin Shoppe in our own commitment to supporting our customers on their journeys of lifelong wellness.

"We are thrilled at David’s exceptional accomplishments this summer on the world stage, which is a testament to his training, dedication and skill. Every health enthusiast at The Vitamin Shoppe applauds David’s victory and we’re proud to be a very small part of his supporting team.”

One final note: Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Taylor and score an autograph can do so this Friday. He'll hold a meet and greet from Noon - 4 p.m. during the grand opening of cold-pressed raw juice store K2 Roots in downtown State College, which is owned by David and Taylor Kendra in addition to another couple. Visit the shop's website here.

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