An Unconventional Sporting Spectacle

On Sunday, May 24, Las Vegas hosted the inaugural Enhanced Games, an event that sparked significant debate by allowing participants to use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) under medical supervision. While traditional sporting bodies enforce strict anti-doping regulations, this competition invited athletes to explore the limits of human performance through science and medical assistance, with substantial cash prizes offered for any broken world records.


The Standout Performance

The highlight of the evening occurred during the final event: the men’s 50m freestyle. Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev made history by clocking a time of 20.81 seconds, surpassing the non-enhanced world record of 20.88 seconds previously set by Australia's Cameron McEvoy. This historic swim earned Gkolomeev a total of $1.25 million—comprising a $250,000 first-place prize and a $1 million performance bonus.

Gkolomeev, a decorated former NCAA champion for the University of Alabama and a four-time Olympian, stood out as the most successful athlete of the night.


Other Notable Attempts

While the atmosphere was charged with potential, other world records proved difficult to beat:

  • Ben Proud: The British swimmer narrowly missed a world record in the men’s 50m fly, posting a time of 22.32 seconds (the standing record is 22.27).
  • Fred Kerley: Competing as a "non-enhanced" athlete, the track star finished approximately four-tenths of a second off the world record pace in the 100m sprint.
  • Thor Björnsson: The "Game of Thrones" star attempted to challenge the deadlift world record of 510kg, ultimately managing a lift of 475kg.

«The event, often colloquially dubbed 'the Olympics with steroids,' aimed to determine if medical and scientific intervention could propel athletes to unprecedented levels of achievement.»

Incentivizing Innovation

The organizers implemented a lucrative financial structure to encourage record-breaking performances. Athletes were offered $250,000 for setting new records in weightlifting, while those breaking records in the 100-meter sprint or swimming events were promised a $1 million bonus. While the event faced scrutiny, it underscored a unique experiment in the intersection of professional athletics, pharmacology, and human capability.