The Enhanced Games made their debut in Las Vegas, promising a radical version of sport where athletes could openly use approved performance-enhancing substances and banned swimming suits.
Many expected a rush of records, but only one athlete beat a world-record mark. Three clean athletes still won first place, cutting through the event’s central argument.
That lone record still became the defining moment, as Kristian Gkolomeev produced the fastest 50m freestyle swim ever seen and secured a life-changing payday.
Kristian Gkolomeev lands huge Enhanced Games payday with 20.81 swim
Gkolomeev clocked 20.81 seconds to win the men’s 50m freestyle, edging past Cameron McEvoy’s official world record of 20.88 set in March.
McEvoy’s time remains the recognised World Aquatics mark because Enhanced Games results are not official, with banned substances and polyurethane suits allowed.
The Australian had recently broken Cesar Cielo’s long-standing record, ending a mark that had survived for almost 17 years.
Gkolomeev’s swim will not enter the official record book, but it still delivered the headline organisers wanted from the first edition.
The Greek swimmer collected $250,000 for the win and added a $1million bonus for beating the world-record time.
That took his total to $1.25million, a reward large enough to change one race’s meaning, even if the wider sporting world refuses to recognise the mark.
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