This Athlete's Reward For A Silver Medal At The Olympics? His Sponsor Dropped Him
MIRAMAR, FLORIDA - MAY 4: Daniel Roberts of USA places 2nd in 100m short hurdles at Ansin Sports ... More Complex on May 4, 2025 in Miramar, FL. (Photo by Michael Pimentel/)
Coming off the best year of his track and field career—not to mention the best individual performance of his life—Daniel Roberts thought he had proved his worth in a contract year.
The Greensboro, North Carolina-based professional track and field athlete was already on an option-year for Nike, which followed a successful four-year term after he secured his first major medal at a world competition in 2023.
But at the end of August last year, with his contract needing to be renegotiated, Roberts was at a critical juncture.
Luckily, his success spoke for itself. He didn't disappoint over the 2024 Olympic cycle, clocking a career-best 12.96 seconds for the 110 meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials, which later led to a career-defining silver medal at the Paris Olympics just over a month later. He finished the year with the third-best 110 meter hurdles time in the world.
Nike could have extended him another option year.
But for Roberts, who had turned 27 that November, he was also hoping they wouldn't, because it would leave the door open for his agency, Astra Partners, to negotiate a better deal with terms representative of his world-class performance in the sport.
Instead, Nike dropped him entirely.
'Definitely did not play out how we wanted it to play out,' he said.
Nike Drops Successful Track And Field Athlete After Olympic Medal
Roberts did not disclose the binding terms for which he and his agency requested from Nike, but that is no surprise, either. Contracts for professional track and field athletes are often guarded in secrecy, only discussed – or understood fully – in circles wherein agencies can use whatever leverage they have to advocate for their clients.
Roberts said track and field contracts are typically devised around four- or five-year blocks, accounting for concluding years within an Olympic or World Championship cycle.
And the snub left him confused.
With four to five really good years left in his legs, Roberts knows he can achieve more and continue to compete for medals at the world and Olympic level. He knows he can break 13 seconds again and be on the level of anyone in the world.
So what details, exactly, were at odds during contract renegotiations?
'When you turn pro, the first thing you hear from agents or coaches or anything is, they say the most important thing is to make teams,' Roberts said. 'And I've done that every single year since I've been a pro.'
Daniel Roberts' Path As A Professional Track And Field Athlete
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 08: Daniel Roberts of Team United States celebrates after winning the silver ... More medal after competing in Men's 110m Hurdles on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by)
Roberts certianly had the receipts. After a Hall-of-Fame-type career at the University of Kentucky, wherein he earned back-to-back NCAA silver medals indoors and outdoors in 2019, he won a U.S. Championship just a few months later, qualifying for his first world team.
In 2021, Roberts made his first Olympic team headed to Tokyo during the COVID year, and then made his next in 2022. Over those first three years, however, little mistakes hampered his outcomes, leading to zero appearances in a final.
But in 2023, knowing the stakes were high and his contract was on the line, he won the U.S. Championships again and performed excellently at worlds, securing that third-place finish in 13.09. He also competed a total of 17 times on the season, earning a fair amount of prize money in the process.
Last year, Roberts won the first two men's 110 meter hurdle races on the Diamond League circuit in China, traveled to Jamaica and scored another win, finished second at the Prefontaine Classic and then was in absolute command at the U.S. Olympic Trials, securing a third-place outing in the final with a career-best time of 12.96 seconds.
Roberts competed often, won often and was among the world's best. What was he missing? Did he not have a big enough social media following? Roberts' Instagram carries 23K followers.
'Honestly, I don't know,' said Roberts, who added that his contract was reduced in his early years. 'I was definitely very much confused. I'm starting to find a rhythm. The results are there. I'm kind of expecting good things on the contract side, the financial side. It didn't turn out that way. Any pro, any young athlete in the sport, we're told: 'Get medals. Make teams.' I've done that over my six years as a pro.'
EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 16: Daniel Roberts of Team United States reacts after competing in the Men's ... More 110 High Hurdles heats on day two of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 16, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by)
Daniel Roberts Finds The Courage To Speak Up About His Contract Situation
That idea was percolating in his mind when he saw an Instagram post from Olympic and world champion Justin Gatlin in June. Writing in the description of a post referring to a recent contract announcement from collegian and NCAA 100 meter champion Jordan Anthony, Gatlin wrote: 'Contract rules 101: Your performances got you notice … Contract money is based on your 'Future Potential.' Sponsors invested in what you can do not what you did …SO STAY HOT & GET YOUR BAG!'
Roberts took issue with that assessment.
'I would agree with this for the most part,' Roberts wrote. 'Only thing I would push back on because of my personal situation right now would be the fact that these brands are about marketing above everything else. …Coming off the best year of my life, winning a silver medal at my second olympics and running sub 13 for the first time, I've been dropped from my sponsor and had to live off grants and prize money for the past six months.'
Roberts didn't compete this indoor cycle, he said, because he was waiting for his contract terms to get finalized.
He finally opened in April, but perhaps only because so much money was on the line: He ran in two Grand Slam Track races in Jamaica and Miami, earning a total of $45,000 in prize money after finishing fourth and fifth in the men's short hurdle series. The USATF also offers an elite athlete development grant program to help professionals continue on in their professional journeys.
Roberts, who is married and someday wants to build a family of his own, knows his career will go on.
The Future Ahead For Daniel Roberts In Track And Field
Coached by revered hurdle coach Allen Johnson, the director of track and field at North Carolina A&T, Roberts continues to work toward this next cycle and navigate a minor injury with his achilles.
'We've talked to a couple different brands,' Roberts said. 'We're trying to see where they are at and what they want and go from there.'
But the recent sting of his first major financial setback leaves him wondering about the future of the sport. He says his primary objectives with a new sponsor will be to find an organization that aligns with his values and beliefs.
'I need someone who's going to believe in me and treat me like a person. Like as a family, someone who cares and wants the best for me,' he said. 'And not just want me to be with them when I'm at the podium.'
With an important qualifying window heading his way in July, Roberts heads toward his next objective: Making another U.S. team.
Contract or not.
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CNN
28 minutes ago
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Republicans introduce last-minute industry ‘killer' tax on solar and wind in spending bill
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New York Times
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No. 29 pick instant reaction
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But he simply won't be for everyone because of how they will have to work around his limitations with his right hand, as a passer and as a pull-up shooter early in his career. GO FURTHER Magic draft Michigan State guard Jase Richardson with No. 25 pick 24. Sacramento – Nique Clifford, SF, Colorado State As I suspected, the Thunder are trading this pick because they already have 16 players on the roster for next season and need to cut it by at least one. Clifford has a nice role player resume with his defense and decision-making, and could fit in on a roster that is short on wings, especially if he can knock down perimeter shots consistently With the Thunder being somewhat distressed sellers due to their roster situation, the Kings paid a reasonable price for the pick, sending a 2027 Spurs pick that is protected through 16 and turns into two seconds if it doesn't convey. Imagn Images The Sacramento Kings have selected 23-year-old Colorado State wing Nique Clifford with the 24th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Clifford is older, and his track record when he was younger doesn't inspire much excitement. However, his improvement over the past two years has been remarkable. He consistently proved he can play with anyone. He also possesses skills that NBA teams covet as he's a wing who can process the game, dribble, pass, shoot and defend all while having solid positional size. It's hard to find NBA players who can bring all of those things to the floor. If Clifford ends up failing, it'll likely be because his jumper was too streaky and he couldn't quite settle in. If that happens, the rest of his offensive game could fall apart. But he's been a good enough shooter over the larger sample of the last two years that I'm willing to bet on it, and him. Clifford profiles as a solid rotational wing who could be a starter when surrounded by the right stars in the NBA. 23. Atlanta — Asa Newell, F, Georgia This pick goes from New Orleans to Atlanta, and the Hawks stay local by taking Athens native and Georgia Bulldogs product Asa Newell, adding to a reshaped frontcourt that includes the recently acquired Kristaps Porziņģis. The Hawks ran out of quality frontcourt bodies at the end of last season, and this seems to be a clear area of emphasis for the Hawks' offseason, especially with Clint Capela's likely free agency departure. Newell also might be underrated given his lack of electrifying highlights. Analytic models view the southpaw more favorably than the eye test. Imagn Images The Atlanta Hawks have selected 19-year-old Georgia big Asa Newell with the 23rd pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after acquiring it from the New Orleans Pelicans. Newell's NBA role is a question mark. It's hard to play on the court if you don't put immense pressure on the rim as a roller, don't see the court well as a passer and also don't shoot consistently. Newell was productive and efficient this year purely by using his athleticism to his advantage, but I wonder how it all looks for him on offense when that advantage goes away. I'd feel much better about his profile if he were a shooter already, but he's not there, having hit only 29.2 percent of his 3s. I buy him as a useful rotational player on defense who will cover ground and occasionally make plays both on the interior and perimeter. But I'm not sure that it'll be good enough for him to stick on the court while he works through his jumper concerns. I like the athletic tools enough that I think he can stick as a backup big man, but it's going to take some time for him as he works through his feel for the game on defense, his frame and his offensive skills. If Newell turns into a shooter, he probably sticks in the NBA. If he doesn't, there are concerns. I have him as more of a late first-round player as opposed to a mid-first round guy. Imagn Images Hansen Yang said, via his translator, that he was expecting to be selected at the end of the first round. Getting picked at No. 16 was "a big surprise." Quick reminder that Miami is $27 million over the cap and has no realistic pathway to signing Jonathan Kuminga without the Warriors' help in a sign-and-trade. Imagn Images Hansen Yang said, via his translator, that he worked out with the Blazers a month ago and got along well with Portland management but "at the end of the day, this was beyond (my) wildest imagination." 22. Brooklyn – Drake Powell, SG/F, North Carolina This pick is going from Atlanta to Brooklyn in the Kristaps Porziņģis trade. It is the Nets' third pick of the first round, and they still have picks 26 and 27. Powell is the best athlete left on the board but his offensive projection is a bit concerning. If he makes it is likely to be as a defense-and-energy guy. Brooklyn will hope it can fine-tune his shooting and decision-making to the point that Powell has rotation-level utility. Imagn Images The Brooklyn Nets have selected 19-year-old North Carolina wing Drake Powell with the 22nd pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. I'm a big believer in Powell's defense, which is why I'm willing to rank him as a top-40 prospect despite having as many questions as I do about his offensive game. He is terrific on that end of the court. He's awesome on the ball and does a good enough job staying engaged off the ball. For a freshman, his instincts were quite good. My only issue is that he's a such a significant project on offense that I worry about him being able to get on the floor before his first contract's clock runs out. He would need to iron out the jumper within the next year or so and feel much more comfortable getting it off at volume than he seems to be now. I would bet on Powell being a useful NBA player by the time he's 25 or so, much in the same vein as someone like Derrick Jones Jr. as a defensive specialist. But you're drafting him at 19, unfortunately, and I worry that the process is going to take a bit too long. But the bet on him figuring out the jumper sooner rather than later pushes him just above the two-way contract level and into guaranteed contract range for me.
Associated Press
32 minutes ago
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