Magnussen finishes – James Magnussen’s attempt to chase a world-record prize at the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas ended in disaster as he finished last in the men’s 100m freestyle. The two-time Olympian trailed the field in 49.44 seconds, with the race won by Kristian Gkolomeev in 4
James Magnussen knew the margin for error was razor-thin. He was the first athlete to sign up for the Enhanced Games, the controversial Las Vegas event that allows certain banned-for-everywhere-else drugs under its own rules—and he wanted it to work at the highest level.
Instead, the first swim didn’t just miss the mark. In the men’s 100m freestyle on Monday morning. Australian time. Magnussen finished last as he trailed the field throughout the race. His time came in at 49.44 seconds—far off the pace—while the 100m freestyle winner. Greek star Kristian Gkolomeev. touched in 46.60 seconds.
The prize money is built for world records, not comfort. Enhanced Games pays $1.4 million to athletes who set a new world record, with the required mark for that 100m freestyle just 0.2 seconds faster than Gkolomeev’s 46.60. Magnussen’s drug-free personal best in the event stands at 47.10 seconds.
Magnussen will now contest the 50m freestyle event later on Monday, after a week of intense preparation and a public transformation that made headlines before he even stepped on the blocks.
The stakes are clear from the event’s payouts. Race winners at the Enhanced Games receive $358,000, but the larger eye-catching figure—$1.4 million—hangs on breaking a world record. Critics have blasted the event as “immoral,” arguing it promotes drug use that can cause health problems.
Magnussen, now 35, has been trying to show the Enhanced Games experiment can be done “safely” under its framework. He said: “Me being the first athlete on board, we have to get this perfect.”
He added: “It’s everyone’s best interest for me, a, to swim fast, b, to prove that this process can be done safely and, c, to document that for everybody to see.”
Those words land awkwardly beside the results from his first appearance. After he finished last in the 100m freestyle, the story immediately shifted from intention to performance—and from debate to the stopwatch.
Magnussen’s preparation included a major change in body composition. He bulked up to 114kg during last year’s attempt to break the 50m freestyle world record. doing so while wearing a banned polyurethane supersuit. At the time, the retired Olympian admitted the extra muscle made him feel like he was “sinking” in the water. For this edition of the Enhanced Games. he dropped 17kg. unveiling a leaner. heavily sculpted physique just days before competing in Las Vegas.
He also posted on Instagram with the caption: “We know you’re watching – enjoy the show.” Fans flooded the comments section with disbelief and jokes. with one writing “Lesssgoo. absolutely shredded. ” another posting “Shreddy McShredderson. ” and a third adding “Half man. half abdominal muscle.” Another fan went further. joking: “Juiced to the absolute gills.”.
Behind the transformation is Magnussen’s confirmation that he has been using performance-enhancing substances. He has said he has been using a protocol involving testosterone and peptides under medical supervision for almost two years. Under the Enhanced Games rules. athletes are permitted to use substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency—including testosterone. human growth hormone and EPO—provided they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
The event itself was founded by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, who has described the project as a pathway towards “super humanity – humans 2.0.” D’Souza also believes the competition could help drive a booming anti-ageing industry.
What makes Monday’s swim sting is that Magnussen arrived with a plan designed for spectacle and validation at the same time. He was meant to make the Enhanced Games look workable at elite level. Instead. in his first event of the competition. he couldn’t match even his own drug-free benchmark—finishing well behind the field in 49.44 seconds.
He still has one more race on Monday: the 50m freestyle. But after the 100m ended with the last-place result, the next race won’t just be about whether he can chase a world record. It will be about whether he can turn a high-stakes debut into something remotely close to the payday he came to take.
James Magnussen Enhanced Games Kristian Gkolomeev 100m freestyle doping testosterone peptides EPO world record Las Vegas swimming