Swimmer Gkolomeev breaks record at drug-allowed Enhanced Games
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Swimmer Gkolomeev breaks record at drug-allowed Enhanced Games")
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev Photograph: (AFP)
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev won the men’s 50m freestyle at the Enhanced Games on Sunday and was the only athlete to break a record at the event.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev emerged as the only competitor to surpass a world record on Sunday at the controversial Enhanced Games, where athletes were permitted to use performance-enhancing drugs. Competing in the men’s 50m freestyle in Las Vegas, Gkolomeev clocked 20.81 seconds in the final race of the evening. Although the result is not officially recognised, it was faster than the 20.88, second benchmark set by Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy in March.
Wearing a high-tech “supersuit” that has long been banned in competitions such as the Olympic Games, Gkolomeev secured a $1 million reward for the performance.
“It was a great race… I got it,” Gkolomeev said after the event. “Maybe next year I’ll break it again.”
The Enhanced Games have faced strong criticism from sports governing bodies and anti-doping organizations, which argue the event poses significant health risks to athletes.
The competition attracted several high-profile swimmers with Olympic credentials, inc
luding James Magnussen, Cody Miller and Ben Proud, with prize money reaching $250,000 for event victories.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Co-founder Max Martin had anticipated that multiple records would fall during the event, however, several athletes narrowly missed historic times before Gkolomeev’s standout swim.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Proud captured the men’s 50m butterfly title in 22.32 seconds, finishing just 0.05 off the world mark.
"We all know what we came for. And that's world records. And so, to be that agonizingly close, it's frustrating," said the Paris 2024 silver medallist.
Gkolomeev earlier clocked 46.60sec in the 100m freestyle, missing the world record of 46.40.
"I think tonight, yes, we did expect a few more world records to happen. But at the end of the day, this is live sports, and this is always something that you can never plan for," Martin told AFP.
"We've had certain injuries today with athletes that couldn't participate because of that," he added.
With inputs from agencies
