Winning a Commonwealth Games medal has not spared Summer Shaw from the financial pressures that many elite athletes face, with the 22-year-old judoka returning to work at McDonald’s just days after winning bronze for Scotland.
Shaw’s experience has drawn widespread attention after a short TikTok video showing her back behind the counter at the fast-food restaurant went viral, prompting thousands of people to question how an international medallist could still need a part-time job.
The clip, filmed during a work break, has been viewed more than a million times and sparked debate about the financial challenges confronting athletes competing outside the world’s richest sports.
Shaw won Scotland’s first judo medal at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, claiming bronze in the women’s 48kg event. But the celebrations were short-lived as she returned to her family home in Surrey and resumed her shifts the following week.
She said the job, which she began while studying for her A-levels, has remained an important source of income because of its flexibility around training and competitions.
Shaw, who has been studying biology in Birmingham while training near the British Judo National Training Centre in Walsall, said finding employers willing to accommodate the demands of elite sport is often difficult.
Although she receives an Athlete Performance Award (APA) funded through UK Sport and the National Lottery, she said the grant mainly covers living and training expenses and does not eliminate the financial burden of competing internationally.
She revealed that she has had to fund some competitions herself, including an upcoming event in Peru that was not covered by British Judo.
For Shaw, the issue extends beyond competition costs.
“I’m also a normal person,” she said. “I want to save for a house.”
Her experience reflects a broader reality within Olympic and Commonwealth sports, where many athletes rely on part-time work, family support or fundraising to sustain their careers.
Shaw said it is “very common” for judokas and athletes in similar sports to have another source of income, despite competing at the highest level.
She has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help finance her pursuit of qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while hoping that sponsorship opportunities could reduce the financial strain of future competitions.
Despite the challenges, Shaw says she has no immediate plans to leave her McDonald’s job.
The workplace has given her flexibility, friendships and personal connections, including meeting her boyfriend there.
However, she admits that greater financial support would allow her to focus more fully on judo rather than having to weigh every competition against its impact on her bank account.
Her viral video has become a reminder that, for many elite athletes, standing on a podium does not necessarily mean financial security.
