Enhanced Games: Gkolomeev 'breaks' record in 50m freestyle
Key takeaways
- Records set at the divisive competition are not considered official because athletes are allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs.
- https://p.dw.com/p/5EH7GKristian Gkolomeev said the prize money from his win would change his life Image: Jae C.
- The 32-year-old, who failed to win a medal in four Olympics, set a faster time than Australian Cameron McEvoy's real world record of 20.88 seconds at the Chinese Swimming Open in March.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Records set at the divisive competition are not considered official because athletes are allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs. The global swimming body has condemned the event as a "circus, built on short-cuts."
https://p.dw.com/p/5EH7GKristian Gkolomeev said the prize money from his win would change his life Image: Jae C. Hong/AP Photo/picture alliance Advertisement Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev got a $1 million (€860,000) bonus at the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on Sunday for going faster than the official 50 meters freestyle world record with a time of 20.81 seconds.
The 32-year-old, who failed to win a medal in four Olympics, set a faster time than Australian Cameron McEvoy's real world record of 20.88 seconds at the Chinese Swimming Open in March.