UK Olympic heroes fail to strike gold after summer of medals Greg Rutherford: champion long-jumper If the stars of Britain's Olympic summer of triumph last year were hoping their medal-winning success would reap riches, they have been left sorely disappointed - with a few notable exceptions. The return of athletes such as Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis to the Olympic Stadium this weekend for the Anniversary Games is set to be a glorious recollection of the summer of 2012. But for many of them, it is also a stark reminder that they must return to the reality of financial sacrifice in the race to stay competitive. A year ago, it seemed possible to dream otherwise. The Olympic build-up furnished most of the 500-plus members of Team GB with National Lottery funding and lucrative corporate sponsorship. Brands saw honesty and dignity in the athletes" clean-cut image, a million miles away from the less-than-endearing values of the nation's millionaire footballers. As they climbed the medallists" podium, sponsors and the public rose to acclaim new sporting heroes. But according to Fast Track, a sports agency that matched hundreds of athletes to willing sponsors, only a handful of those deals remain. "Of those who became household names, the vast majority have now slipped back into their minority sports," said Jon Wyatt of Fast Track. It's all about being only as good as your most recent success and what happens next. Brands are clearly looking at the next rising star. The flow of British sporting success - in the form of the Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, US Open winner Justin Rose, the British Lions and England's Ashes squad - shows how quickly the Olympians" achievements faded, and also the intensity of the competition in the sports sponsorship market. Team GB's success in bringing home 65 medals - 29 of them gold - also proved to be a poisoned chalice. Jamie Cunningham, who represents boxer Nicola Adams, diver Tom Daley and the Brownlee brothers of triathlon endeavour, says that in other eras, Olympic athletes would have made money from winning gold. "But in simple terms, Britain was too successful," said Mr Cunningham. There are too many good rowers, which has meant no standout superstars. Fees for appearances are falling. "There are more Olympians available for fewer jobs," he added. They may have been hoping for £8,000-£10,000, but they are now getting £3,000-£4,000. Some of those who prospered benefited from early identification as the "ones to watch." The marketing of Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds has been in full flow since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cyclist Victoria Pendleton, now retired, had nine sponsorship deals going into the 2012 games, earning her £1m last year. But Chris Evans-Pollard, her agent, said even though most of those deals ended at the start of 2013, she could still earn a similar amount this year. "There are different projects she's involved in and PR activity she will do with certain brands," said Mr Evans-Pollard. Other athletes appeared out of nowhere and are making good money. Adams is in demand and in a position to turn down appearance requests, said Mr Cunningham. And Farah is the biggest draw, reputedly paid £450,000 for running half the London marathon. "Mo's gone from nothing to an incredibly high profile," said Mr Evans-Pollard. He is one of the top names that any brand would like to have. Contrast Farah with long-jumper Greg Rutherford, one of the trio of gold medallists on that "Super Saturday" Olympics high point. He was dropped by Nike and has fallen back on launching a clothing range. It's still about sports personalities having to sell products. If they don't make a difference, they don't work," said Mr Cunningham. Nor does it work unless the endorsement income is sufficiently high. Freddie Huxtable, sports tax consultant with RSM Tenon, said a sponsorship deal of £50,000 over three years is soon diluted by tax, training costs and agents" fees. "For large numbers, a job alongside their training regime is the only practical answer," he said. The Olympians are at least back on the track. It is their competitive absence since London 2012 that highlights why they will always lose out to football stars in the long run. "The Premier League has almost become a 365-days-a-year phenomenon," said Nigel Currie of the marketing consultants BrandRapport. It can maintain a consistent flow of exposure and opportunities. A lot of sports can't.