Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev became the only athlete to surpass a world record at the controversial Enhanced Games in Las Vegas after clocking 20.81 seconds in the men’s 50m freestyle event.
The 32-year-old bettered Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy’s official world record time of 20.88 seconds, which had been set earlier this year. However, Gkolomeev’s performance will not be officially recognised because the Enhanced Games allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances banned by international sporting authorities.
The inaugural event has faced heavy criticism from organisations including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and World Aquatics due to its stance on doping and athlete enhancement.
Enhanced Games Face Criticism Over Doping Rules
The Enhanced Games featured competitions in swimming, athletics and weightlifting, with athletes openly permitted to use substances such as testosterone, anabolic steroids, growth hormones and peptides approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Gkolomeev also competed wearing a polyurethane swimsuit, which has long been banned in official swimming competitions. Despite the controversy, the Greek swimmer received $250,000 for winning the event along with a $1 million bonus for setting the unofficial world-record time.
World Aquatics strongly criticised the competition, describing it as a “circus built on shortcuts,” while World Athletics president Sebastian Coe labelled athletes participating in the event as “moronic.”
The event organisers defended the concept by arguing that enhancement already exists secretly in elite sports and claimed that allowing it openly under medical supervision makes competition safer and more transparent.
Big Names Feature At Enhanced Games In Las Vegas
Several well-known athletes participated in the event. American sprinter Fred Kerley won the men’s 100m race in 9.97 seconds, although it remained slower than his personal best.
British swimmer Ben Proud narrowly missed the 50m butterfly world record after recording 22.32 seconds, just 0.05 seconds behind the official mark. Another British swimmer, Emily Barclay, won the women’s 50m freestyle with a timing of 24.09 seconds.
Meanwhile, Icelandic strongman Hafthor Bjornsson, famous for portraying “The Mountain” in Game of Thrones, failed to surpass his own deadlift world record of 510kg.
The Enhanced Games were founded in 2023 by entrepreneurs Aron D’Souza and Maximilian Martin and have received financial backing from billionaire Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr. Despite predictions from organisers that several world records would fall, Gkolomeev’s performance remained the only unofficial record-breaking effort at the event.
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