Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev cashes in with ‘world record’ at Enhanced Games

LAS VEGAS – Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev earned a US$1 million (S$1.28 million) bonus for beating a world record, while sprinter Fred Kerley won a weak 100m as the drug-friendly Enhanced Games made a hyperbolic debut at a casino car park in Las Vegas on May 24.

Gkolomeev, who failed to make the podium in four Olympics, posted a time of 20.81 seconds in the 50m freestyle, 0.07sec faster than the official world record held by Australia’s Cameron McEvoy.

The time in the final event of the Enhanced programme will not make official record books because competitors’ results are considered illegal by global sporting authorities.

The Enhanced Games endorse athletes who use substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), while the swimmers are also allowed to wear polyurethane “super-suits” banned in 2010.

That did not stop organisers from hailing Gkolomeev’s “world-record” swim.

The Greek also earned a US$1 million “world-record” bonus in 2025 for a swim of 20.89sec in a super-suit, organisers said at the time.

Gkolomeev heaved his young son in the air and caught him as he celebrated with his family by the Las Vegas pool, having also banked US$250,000 for winning the race.

“Great race. I had a lot of fun. This is amazing,” said the Bulgaria-born 32-year-old.

“I had a mistake on the breakout and I got a little bit nervous, but then the rest of the swimming was good, so I got it.”

“I’m going to say it’s not bad at all,” he added of the prize money.

“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.”

Global swimming body World Aquatics has condemned the Enhanced Games as a “circus, built on shortcuts”.

McEvoy, who set his world record at a competition in China in March, did not receive a financial reward. World Aquatics pays bonuses only for records set in competitions it organises.

“It’s crazy to think that to get a world record without a suit, and without any performance-enhancing drugs, as a clean athlete, the bonus is zero dollars,” McEvoy said in March.

On the Enhanced track, American 2022 world champion Kerley won the 100m in 9.97sec, well short of his personal best of 9.76sec.

Kerley is banned from World Athletics competition for two years for failing drug testing protocols but said before the Enhanced Games that he was racing clean and primed to take down Usain Bolt’s 9.58sec world record.

Instead, he complained bitterly about his rivals after multiple false starts held up the sprint.

“You saw that, a lot of false starts, a lot of jumping. A lot of people don’t want to run the heats and everything. They’ve got to do better than that,” said Kerley, who also earned US$250,000 for winning.

With only Kerley breaking 10 seconds in the final, athletics fans mocked the results on social media.

WADA and other sporting authorities staunchly oppose the Enhanced Games, warning that athletes risk competition bans and their health.

Its organisers say banning performance-enhancing drugs does not protect athletes and stifles their performance.

There were no tickets sold but about 2,000 spectators, made up largely of family and friends of the participants, watched in stifling heat along with some 300 social media influencers, local media reported. REUTERS