Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev set an unofficial world record in the men's 50m freestyle at the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas.
He clocked 20.81 seconds while wearing an outlawed skinsuit and using performance-enhancing substances, according to The Guardian.
The time was 0.08 seconds faster than the official record set by Australia's Cameron McEvoy in March.
Event Allowed Open Use of Banned Substances
The five-hour competition permitted athletes to openly use banned drugs.
Stadium screens showed that 90.5 percent of participants used testosterone esters, 78.6 percent used human growth hormone, 61.9 percent took stimulants, and 40.5 percent utilized EPO.
Enhanced Games CEO Maximilian Martin celebrated the event before a crowd of biotech investors and fitness influencers.
"We have arrived in mainstream culture," Martin said. "We are here to stay.
We have changed the world tonight."
He praised performance enhancements in athletic output, stating, "With the power of enhancements we can prove we are the best we can ever think of."
Despite fewer world records than expected, Martin remained optimistic about the tournament's future.
"Tonight we did expect a few more world records but this is live sports," he said.
Three drug-free athletes won their events, each earning $250,000: Paris silver medalist Fred Kerley in the men's 100m, Tristan Evelyn in the women's 100m, and Hunter Armstrong in the men's 50m backstroke.
Kerley expressed dissatisfaction with enhanced competitors after his victory.
"Man, they need to do better than that," he said. "They need to work a little bit harder, get on that shit a little bit more."
Evelyn won the women's 100m in 11.25 seconds and emphasized the value of traditional training.
"This proves that winning takes more than chemistry," she said.
Several high-profile athletes failed to meet expectations, including Icelandic strongman Thor Bjornsson, who could not exceed his deadlift best of 510kg, along with weightlifters Beatriz Pirón, Wesley Kitts, and Boady Santavy.
Organizers granted Santavy an unprecedented fourth attempt in the snatch event after he failed his three permitted lifts.
British swimmer Ben Proud collected $375,000 after winning the 50m fly and finishing second in the 50m freestyle.
His partner Emily Barclay earned the same amount by winning the women's 50m freestyle and placing second in the 100m.
Proud likened his financial windfall to winning a major prize.
"When I heard about the Enhanced Games I felt I had got a lottery ticket," he said. "I thought I could get a good life out of this.
Boom! I'm here."
Organizers said approximately 250,000 viewers watched the live broadcast on YouTube, though supplement sales from the broadcast remain unverified.
