USA Swimming to award prize money at Grand Prix Series

Top swimmers like Missy Franklin will begin to receive prize money for placing first, second or third at the Grand Prix Series.

Marilyn Indahl/US Presswire

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- The top three finishers in individual Olympic-distance swimming events at the Grand Prix Series will receive prize money.

USA Swimming said Monday that new sponsor Arena is putting up $150,000 for the six-meet series.

In each event, winners will receive $500, second-place finishers will earn $300 and third-place will be worth $100. Swimmers with remaining NCAA eligibility won't be able to accept prize money.

Previously, the overall points leader throughout the series received $20,000.

Prize money will be retroactively awarded for the Minnesota Grand Prix, which was held in November.

The next stop in the series is the Austin Grand Prix on Jan. 18-20, with Olympic gold medalists Missy Franklin, Tyler Clary and Ricky Berens scheduled to compete.

The remaining meets will be in Orlando, Fla., Mesa, Ariz., Charlotte, N.C., and Santa Clara, Calif.