The recommendation was made by Doug Logan, the chief executive of USA Track & Field (USATF) as part of his goal for the team to win at least 30 medals in London.

 

The US topped the medals chart at Beijing last year with 23 medallists.

 

But it won only seven golds compared to 14 at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships and both the men's and women's 4x100 metres relay teams dropped the baton.

 

Logan said: "No honest observer of our practices and procedures would ever conclude that the results of the competition at the 2008 Games were a blip or an aberration."

 

The idea to reward successful athletes with cash bonues is part of a drive by Logan to modernise USATF.

 

He said a managing director of competitions to oversee preparations for global events, including the 2012 Olympics, should be hired by June 1.

 

Athletes representing the United States should be required to sign contracts agreeing to consult with the managing director about their pre-Olympic or World Championship competitions.

 

Logan called for bonuses of $15,000 (£10,639) for athletes setting personal bests at the Games and $5,000 (£3,546) for season's bests.

 

He also said the US Olympic trials' current 10-day format should be shortened.

 

As part of preparations for the London Games, Logan said he wanted a six-week training base established in Europe and would work to secure two competitions in Europe involving the United States and other nations prior to the Olympics.

 

USATF have already signed a preliminary agreement to base themselves in Birmingham in the build-up to London 2012.

 

USATF's national relay programme, which cost more than $1 million (£709,000) over six years, has already been stopped and will be replaced by a more cost-effective structure, Logan said.