This Vegan Olympian Just Won Gold, and Bagged Paris 2024’s Highest Prize Money

Vegan Olympian Vivian Kong Man Wai from Hong Kong won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics and took home the highest prize money of HK$6M ($770,000). This victory comes as a response to critics who questioned the availability of protein and meat at the Games, as Kong's plant-based diet proved successful for her athletic performance.

Kong's win adds to the success of other vegan Olympians at Paris 2024, such as British cyclist Anna Henderson and Canadian fencer Eleanor Harvey. The Olympics made efforts to offer more plant-based food options, with 60% of spectator food being meatless and 30% of athlete village meals being meat-free. Overall, nearly a third of the 13 million meals served at Paris 2024 were plant-based, reflecting a growing trend towards plant-based diets in sports.