Olympians are turning to this side hustle to make ends meet

Taekwondo Olympic athlete Stacey Hymer has been preparing for Paris by training, focusing on nutrition - and sorting out a side hustle.

She’s signed on with a fitness app where she can create and sell personalised programs and video training sessions to help her earn a secondary income.

Taekwondo athlete Stacey Hymer is gearing up for her second time representing Australia in the Olympics.Credit: Justin McManus

Hymer started searching for a side job ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games, her first time competing in the Olympics.

“At the time I was concerned about my income. I didn’t have a stable job, I was trying to finish university and still do training, and I wasn’t able to afford basic things, so the app was a gateway,” she said.

A 2023 study by the Australian Sports Foundation found that nearly half of Australia’s elite athletes earn less than $23,000 per year, an amount considered to be below the poverty line.

Hymer has since secured sponsorships, grants and funding and said her side hustle was now less about the money and more about supporting the next generation.

“I want to help younger aspiring athletes. There’s not a lot of information about Taekwondo competitions, and when you’re young, it can be really nerve-wracking,” she said.

Hymer has produced a 12-week course to help people prepare for a Taekwondo competition, covering training, strength and conditioning. She also offers nutrition tips and how to eat healthily ahead of weigh-ins.

She leaves for Paris on July 31 and will compete in the sparring featherweight under 57kg division on August 8.

She’s one of eight Olympians who also use the app, including paddler Tim Anderson, gymnast Clay Stephens, swimmer Moesha Johnson, rower Tim Masters, shooter Sergei Evglevski and retired gymnast Alexia Aristoteli.

Ripletic app co-founder and rower Dan Johnston, who has been selected to represent Australia in the World Beach Sprint Championships in Italy in September, said athletes often had to rely on sponsorship and endorsement deals.

“Great athletes that don’t get medals miss out on financial opportunities. I wanted to build an app allowing people to make a passive income and sell their expertise,” he said.

Staff meet with athletes to discuss training methodology and devise class sessions. Along with training programs, athletes can also offer one-on-one video coaching.

“The app is there to help amateur athletes learn skills and bridge the gap between amateur and professional,” he said.

An Australian Sports Commission spokesperson said most athletes had to forgo regular jobs to pursue their passion.

“To win medals in an increasingly competitive environment, most athletes must train full-time, often forgoing paid work,” a spokesperson said.

The commission provides eligible athletes training in Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports with payments ranging between $4,000 to $37,500 per year, with more than $47 million committed in commonwealth grants since the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“The Commonwealth supplements the incomes of hard-working athletes on their path to representing Australia through the longstanding direct athlete support grants,” the spokesperson said.

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