Former Australian Olympic swimmer James Magnussen is convinced his upcoming cycle of performance-enhancing substances will turn back time by over a decade, positioning him tantalisingly close to shattering a world record. The inaugural Enhanced Games, scheduled for Las Vegas in May, will see Magnussen resume his drug regimen within weeks, marking a significant chapter in his athletic career.
A Strategic Shift in Enhancement Protocol
Magnussen, the first athlete globally to commit to the Enhanced Games, asserts that his forthcoming enhancements, combined with intensive training, will yield dramatically different results compared to his initial round last year. Having shed nearly 20 kilograms of muscle mass gained during his previous protocol, the swimmer is refining his approach.
'I will probably be doing lower dosages of some enhancements and probably changing some enhancements altogether,' Magnussen revealed. 'I will have much more of a focus on my anaerobic energy system rather than my pure strength and power output. The combination of those two things will create a very different outcome at the end of it.'
Luxury Training Camp in Abu Dhabi
The 34-year-old is currently residing at a five-star resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, which serves as the Enhanced Games' exclusive training camp. This lavish setup precedes the multi-sport event in Las Vegas from May 21-24, notable for its absence of drug testing.
'It's like any other staging camp but 10 times better,' he enthused. 'I'm staying in a five-star resort. I have got amazing food, all my facilities are walking distance, I have got the best coaches, the best staff, the best facilities. No other Australian swimmer has been on a training camp like this.'
Magnussen believes this opulent environment will spark envy among fellow athletes. 'I think that is actually one of the things that other athletes are going to sit back and feel a sense of envy or jealousy. When they see what is being provided for us as Enhanced athletes, that none of these other athletes would even dream of having access to.'
Pioneering the Enhanced Games Movement
The 2012 Olympic 100m freestyle silver medallist and three-time world championship gold winner is among 42 athletes signed for the Enhanced Games, featuring swimming, track and field, and weightlifting. Organisers are offering substantial incentives: $US250,000 ($A358,000) for race winners and a $US1 million ($A1.4 million) bonus for any world record broken.
Magnussen describes the lead-up to the first Enhanced Games as surpassing the anticipation of his Olympic or world championship appearances. 'Way more exciting,' he stated. 'Because it's the first, we're pioneers. It's the first of its kind. There are 5000 Olympians every four years, there is only one first Enhanced athlete. This will be the most watched swimming event in history, certainly.'
Ambitious Personal Goals
In Las Vegas, Magnussen will compete in the 50m freestyle and has added the 100m freestyle, his signature event from a career that concluded after the 2018 Commonwealth Games. His primary objective is to surpass his personal best of 47.10 seconds, set in March 2012 at age 22 during selection trials for the London Olympics.
'My first goal is to swim faster than I ever have before,' he declared. 'I want to beat that. I think that is a pretty big storyline in itself for a 35-year-old to swim a lifetime best. And if or when I beat that time, I'm thereabouts in striking distance of that world record.'
He acknowledges the challenge, referencing China's Pan Zhanle, who set a new 100m freestyle world record of 46.40 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 'I would say that 100 freestyle world record would probably be the hardest world record in the pool now, based off what happened at the Paris Olympics, so I am realistic about that. But I think if I am swimming at my lifetime best: A, I am a really good chance of winning the race and, B, I'm giving myself the best chance of breaking that record.'
Collaborative Learning and Ethical Controversies
Magnussen, who turns 35 in April, is sharing insights from his initial enhancement regime with other athletes, collaborating with Enhanced Games' head swim coach, Australian Brett Hawke. 'I have had a lot more time to prepare than I did for the first round of competing and enhancing,' he explained. 'I am coming in a lot fitter and a lot lighter, a lot more focus on that anaerobic energy system and probably with a lot more knowledge about what is about to happen this time than I did last time.'
'Brett and I learnt what worked and what didn't work; how these substances respond for a swimmer, for their workload, for their recovery, the impact on strength, power, aerobic endurance - all those things. They are learnings for everyone. For the best interest of the Games, I want all athletes swimming fast, running fast, lifting heavy. I am not going to gatekeep any secrets and use them as an advantage.'
Despite the excitement, the Enhanced Games face criticism. In May 2025, Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) condemned the concept as 'dangerous, unethical and damaging to sport'. Magnussen, however, senses growing interest and envy from swimmers who have not joined. 'Big time,' he remarked. 'I think the final nail in the coffin will be when those swimmers are sitting at home in May watching those novelty sized cheques come rolling out with hundreds of thousands of dollars written on them. That is when it will really sink in that they may have missed out on something.'
