You may think that the fame and glory are enough to pay an Olympian’s way through life, but the truth is, the vast majority of athletes hold regular 9-5 jobs and train on the side. Training is not cheap for any Olympian, and the athletes are willing to do whatever necessary to pay for their training.
Of course, a few elite Olympians will gain endorsements deals, more than enough to make a living. But most athletes aren’t that lucky and must find funding elsewhere. Olympic skier Keri Herman uses hand-me-down equipment from her teammates and rides in broken ski boots, and works in a sporting goods store and a fondue restaurant to pay the bills. She is not alone — many Olympians do some jobs that may surprise you. Check out this list of international Olympians who do a range of blue collar and white collar jobs as their livelihood.
Vanessa Mae, alpine skiing – Professional violinist, Thailand
Elana Meyers, bobsled – Substitute teacher, USA
John Shuster, curling – Restaurant manager, USA
Matt Mortensen, luge – Handyman, USA
Tomoko Sakagami, women’s hockey – Pizza delivery, Japan
Steve Holcomb, bobsled – Computer tech, USA
Jeff Isaacson, curling – Junior high science teacher, USA
Jennifer Jones, curling – Corporate lawyer, Canada
Kyle Tress, skeleton – Software developer, USA
Erika Brown, curling – Physician’s assistant, USA
Jessica Schultz, curling – Physical therapy assistant, USA
Armin Zoggeler, luge – Police officer, Italy
This information was pulled from a Business Insider article.
