Daniel Ellis Roberts, an American athlete who won silver in the men’s 110 m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been dropped by his main sponsor due to a lack of social media appeal.

Daniel Roberts celebrates after finishing second in the men’s 110 m hurdles final at the Paris Olympics in Saint-Denis, France on Aug. 8, 2024. Photo by AP

“These brands prioritize marketing above all else,” Roberts said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo. “Being at the top is influential, but if you’re at the top and don’t have many followers, you’re not commercially profitable and your results won’t have much value.”

Roberts ran 13.09 seconds to finish second behind Grant Holloway (12.99) in the Olympic final.

Earlier that year, he broke the 13-second mark for the first time with a 12.96-second performance in Eugene.

Despite these achievements, Roberts said his contract with a major sportswear sponsor was not renewed.

“I know this because after my best year, winning an Olympic silver medal and breaking the 13-second mark for the first time, my sponsor dropped me, and I’ve had to live off prize money for the past six months.

It’s a shame, but with the way athletics is going, athletes have to focus on more than just competing well.”

Roberts currently has over 23,000 followers on Instagram.

In 2025, he has remained financially stable thanks to earnings from track competitions.

He earned US$20,000 for placing sixth at the Miami Slam and $15,000 for a fourth-place finish at the Philadelphia Slam.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Roberts was a standout at the University of Kentucky, where he was a four-time All-American and Southeastern Conference champion.

In addition to his Olympic silver, his career highlights include a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where he clocked 13.09 seconds, behind Hansle Parchment (13.07) and Holloway (12.96).