Australian world record swimmer Cam McEvoy has taken a swipe at the inaugural Enhanced Games after Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam faster than his official 50m freestyle world record at the event in Las Vegas. McEvoy, who set the legitimate mark of 20.88 seconds in March, posted on social media: “Seriously?! That’s all you got!”
Gkolomeev clocked 20.81 seconds, but the time will not count as a world record because he used banned performance-enhancing drugs and wore a race suit long prohibited by swimming authorities. The Enhanced Games, which promotes a pro-doping ethos, has been widely condemned by global sporting bodies.
For going under the world record time, Gkolomeev earned a $1 million (A$1.39 million) bonus. “This is going to change my life to the good, for sure,” he said. “Maybe I’ll break it again.”
Australia’s James Magnussen, the first athlete signed to the Enhanced Games, finished last in both the 50m and 100m freestyle. The 35-year-old former world champion clocked 22.35 seconds in the 50m and 49.44 in the 100m, well outside his personal bests set over a decade ago.
