Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev broke the men's 50-meter freestyle record with a time of 20.81 seconds at the inaugural Enhanced Games held in Las Vegas in May 2026. His time surpassed the official world record of 20.88 seconds set by Cameron McEvoy in March but will not be officially recognized because Gkolomeev wore a banned polyurethane skinsuit and used performance-enhancing drugs, according to event sources [1, 2].
The Enhanced Games allowed athletes to legally use substances banned in traditional sports, including testosterone, human growth hormone, peptides, and anabolic steroids, all approved by the FDA. Approximately 42 athletes competed across athletics, swimming, and weightlifting in front of an invited audience of about 2,500 people during the roughly five-hour event [1, 2].
Gkolomeev received $250,000 for winning the race and a $1 million bonus for breaking the unofficial record. He said, "I'm going to say it's not bad at all. This is going to change my life to the good, for sure. It's a big help for me and my family. And yeah, I'm going to continue next year. Maybe I'll break it again." [1]
American sprinter and former world champion Fred Kerley, who competed clean without performance enhancers, won the men's 100 meters in 9.97 seconds. Kerley remarked, "Man, they need to do better than that. They need to work a little bit harder, get on that shit a little bit more." [1, 2]
British swimmer Ben Proud claimed the men's 50m butterfly title in 22.32 seconds, just short of the world record, saying, "We all know what we came for. And that's world records. And so to be that agonizingly close, it's frustrating." British swimmer Emily Barclay won the women's 50m freestyle in 24.09 seconds, around half a second slower than the official world record [1].
Weightlifter Hafthor Bjornsson also participated but did not exceed his own deadlift record of 510 kilograms [1]. Three clean athletes, including Kerley and Tristan Evelyn, won events despite most participants using enhancements. Evelyn said, "This proves that winning takes more than chemistry." [2]
The majority of competitors reportedly used performance-enhancing substances: 90.5% took testosterone esters, 78.6% human growth hormone, 61.9% stimulants, and 40.5% EPO [2]. World Aquatics and anti-doping organizations condemned the event as a "circus" due to the widespread drug use and banned equipment [1].
Enhanced Games CEO Maximilian Martin stated, "We have arrived in mainstream culture. We are here to stay. We have changed the world tonight. With the power of enhancements we can prove we are the best we can ever think of and you are living proof of that." [2]
The first Enhanced Games concluded its events in May 2026. Organizers have indicated the competition will continue next year, with Gkolomeev hinting at another record attempt [1].
