Enhanced Games Las Vegas: Ben Proud Near-Miss as Doping-Permitted Games Deliver Just One World Record

The Enhanced Games — the most controversial sporting event of the decade — made their debut on May 24, 2026, at Resorts World Las Vegas. Founded by Australian entrepreneur Aron D'Souza and financed by billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel, the concept is simple: performance-enhancing drugs are not banned. They are the whole idea. Around 50 athletes competed across swimming, athletics and weightlifting — and the results were far more modest than the hype suggested.

What Are the Enhanced Games?

D'Souza conceived the project after observing widespread, unofficial doping in elite sport. Rather than continue the pretence, he proposed making it transparent and medically supervised. All substances must be FDA-approved and taken under physician oversight. The direct contrast with WADA's approach, where violations carry years-long bans from competition.

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Substance use among competitors per official figures:

• 91% Testosterone
• 70% HGH (Human Growth Hormone)
• 62% Adderall
• 50% Metabolic modulators
• 41% EPO
• 29% Anabolic steroids

Prize money: $1,000,000 for a world record. $250,000 for a win.

The Results: One Record, Many Questions

Despite the fully permissive doping environment, only one world record fell across the entire event — a significant embarrassment for organisers who had trailed multiple new benchmarks in pre-event marketing.

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Swimming — Britain's Ben Proud Agonisingly Close

The sole world record went to Kristian Gkolomeev (Greece), who swam the 50m freestyle in 20.81 seconds, edging Cameron McEvoy's mark of 20.88s. British swimmer Ben Proud came tantalisingly close in the 50m butterfly — finishing in 22.32 seconds, just 0.05s outside the 22.27s world record. A near-miss that will sting for one of Britain's finest short-course swimmers.

The night's most striking result came from American Hunter Armstrong, who won the 50m backstroke in 24.21 seconds — with no performance-enhancing substances at all. Armstrong, protecting his Olympic eligibility for Los Angeles 2028, beat every single doped competitor in his event. The organisers offered no explanation.

Athletics — Kerley Well Below His Best

Fred Kerley (USA) won the 100m in 9.97 seconds — far from Usain Bolt's 9.58s world record. Kerley himself conceded he had not competed at full enhancement. The event that was supposed to shatter human athletic limits produced times a clean sprinter could match on a good day.

Strongman — Björnsson Falls Short

Hafþór Björnsson, the Icelandic strongman known globally as "The Mountain" from Game of Thrones, deadlifted 475 kg — the world record stands at 510 kg. No new marks in any category.

Arguments For and Against

Supporters argue: adult athletes should control their own bodies; elite doping already exists behind closed doors; medical supervision is safer than black-market use; prize money goes directly to athletes.

Critics counter: WADA has condemned the event as "dangerous and irresponsible"; UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) echoes that safe doping is a "dangerous misconception"; no governing body — including World Athletics or World Aquatics — will recognise Enhanced Games records; long-term health effects of these combinations are medically unknown.

What It All Means

For British sport, the Enhanced Games present a sharp dilemma. Athletes like Ben Proud have legitimate performance questions to consider — but participation means forfeiting Olympic eligibility. Armstrong's victory without any substances is arguably the most damaging result for the entire project: if a clean athlete can win, what exactly is being enhanced?

Peter Thiel's experiment will return for a second edition. Whether it matures into a genuine sporting spectacle or remains a well-funded ideological statement is the question Las Vegas left unanswered.

Sources: Enhanced Games (official) · WADA · UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) · BBC Sport