Greek swimmer Christian Gakolomev received a $1 million (€860,000) bonus for going faster than the official 50 meter freestyle world record with a time of 20.81 seconds at the inaugural Advanced Games in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The 32-year-old, who has failed to win a medal in four Olympics, clocked a faster time than Australian Cameron McEvoy’s actual world record of 20.88 seconds at the Chinese Swimming Open in March.
Enhanced Games, as its name suggests, allows athletes to take performance enhancing substances that are banned in mainstream competitions.
‘Circus built on short cuts’
World sports officials have described the event as dangerous and said that any new records will not be officially recognized.
World Aquatics, the global swimming body, has described it as “a circus built on short-cuts”.
“Great race. I enjoyed it a lot. It’s amazing,” said Gokolomev, who also wore a long-banned synthetic “supersuit” at the Olympics.
“I’m going to say it’s not bad at all,” he said of the prize money. “It’s definitely going to change my life for the better.”
Participants in the Enhanced Games receive a bonus of $1 million for breaking a world record and $250,000 for winning the event.
Only one record ‘beaten’
According to organizers, 38 of the 42 participants consumed banned substances such as testosterone and other steroids under medical supervision over an eight-week period.
Organizers also predicted that several world records would be broken – something that did not materialize by the end of Sunday night.
British Olympic silver medalist Ben Proud, who abused multiple substances, won the men’s 50m butterfly in 22.32, just 0.05 off the record time.
“We all know what we came for. And it’s a world record. And so to come so close is disappointing,” he said.
German swimmer wins his event with a PB
German swimmer Marius Kusch received €250,000 for winning the 100 m butterfly and beating his personal best by 0.07 seconds.
Meanwhile, in athletics, American former world champion Fred Kerley won the 100 meters in 9.97 seconds, which placed him last at the Paris Olympics two years earlier and was well short of his personal best of 9.76.
Kerley, who claims to be drug-free, predicted before the event that Usain Bolt’s 17-year-old world record of 9.58 seconds would be “destroyed”.
Organizers dismissed health concerns
Health experts have warned that many substances taken by athletes can have “life shortening and fatal consequences”.
However, Enhanced Games officials said all drugs were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Parent company Enhanced sells many of the substances taken by its athletes to the public and argues that banning such drugs impairs athletes’ ability to perform.
Billionaires Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr. were among investors at the event, which took place in a purpose-built arena on the Las Vegas Strip.
Edited by: Richard Connor
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