Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev claimed the only world record of the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on Saturday, clocking 20.81 seconds in the men's 50-metre freestyle — seven hundredths of a second faster than the previous official mark. The 32-year-old, a four-time Olympian who retired from mainstream competition before joining the Enhanced Games last year, was awarded one million dollars in prize money for the achievement. However, the time will not be recognised by World Aquatics or any other official governing body, as Gkolomeev competed while using banned performance-enhancing substances and wearing a full-body swimsuit that has been prohibited in elite swimming for years.

The Enhanced Games, founded by Australian entrepreneur Aron D'Souza and held in a casino car park before around 2,000 invited guests, is built on the premise that athletes should be permitted — and indeed encouraged — to use doping substances under medical supervision in order to push the boundaries of human performance. The event featured 42 athletes competing across swimming, track and field, and powerlifting, with organisers claiming up to 25 million dollars in available prize money; in the end, roughly seven million dollars was distributed. German swimmer Marius Kusch, one of two participants who openly acknowledged the financial motivation, earned 325,000 dollars after winning the 100-metre breaststroke and finishing third over 50 metres, setting personal bests in both events.

Not all the spectacle delivered on its promises. American sprinter Fred Kerley, a suspended former world 100-metre champion, had announced he would shatter Usain Bolt's world record of 9.58 seconds — a claim that drew a dry