‘Unbelievable’: Magnussen Falls Short of World Record and $1.5 Million as Ariarne Titmus Criticises ‘Juiced-Up’ Stunt

Aussie swimming sensation Ariarne Titmus has slammed the concept of the Enhanced Games, following the news that a former Olympian has set a new world record in the men’s 50m freestyle.

On Thursday, it was revealed that Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev recorded a time of 20.89 seconds in February, breaking Cesar Cielo’s 2009 world record by 0.02 seconds.

However, Gkolomeev’s achievement comes amid allegations of an enhanced performance, as he was chasing a $1.5 million prize offered by the Enhanced Games’ organisers for breaking the world record.

Speaking on Nova 100’s Jase & Lauren on Thursday, Titmus expressed that the swim—despite not being recognised by World Aquatics—was a “bit of a kick in the bum” for all clean athletes.

“I saw this news this morning—never heard of this guy before in my life, yet he’s just gone and broken the men’s 50m freestyle world record while juiced up,” she remarked.

“I was looking at it on my phone, and it just feels like a kick in the guts to any athlete who has dedicated their life to training.”

“People have their opinions, but I’m not a fan of it.”

Titmus, along with other Olympians, adheres to a rigorous regimen, including maintaining a detailed diary of their whereabouts to facilitate random drug testing.

“We go through so many processes to ensure we’re clean. We have to submit our locations, how many nights we’ll be sleeping where, so testers can find us for checks.

“We have to do so much to maintain our clean status. It’s just… I don’t know…”

James Magnussen, a retired Australian Olympian, is the face of the newly launched Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, marking a year until its debut.

Magnussen narrowly missed out on Olympic gold in the 100m freestyle at the 2012 London Games and has previously been a strong advocate for clean sport.

When it was suggested to Titmus that Magnussen’s reputation may now be tarnished within the swimming community, she responded, “I don’t think we’ve discussed it much… but I believe most would likely view it the same way.”

In a twist of irony, Magnussen found himself watching as the $1 million prize he had sought was awarded to someone else.

‘The Missile’ had previously declared in February that he would “definitely do it” if the organisers of the Enhanced Games offered $1 million for breaking the 50m freestyle world record.

With all the pageantry, Enhanced Games founder Aron D’Souza presented a $1 million cheque for the world record.

Since retiring in 2019, the 34-year-old embarked on a 12-month doping regimen under medical supervision, involving peptide use and steroid injections.

“I got massive … I was likely 10 to 15 kilos heavier than any swimmer there’s ever been,” Magnussen stated to The Sydney Morning Herald.

“I completed the first seven weeks without fail, training twice daily. It amounted to 49 consecutive days of high-intensity swimming and gym workouts.”

Despite his extensive training and medical oversight, the regimen took a toll on Magnussen’s body. When the time came for him to attempt the record in North Carolina, he was far from his best.

His fastest time over three attempts was 22.73 seconds—1.82 seconds slower than the record he was aiming for and 1.21 seconds slower than his personal best of 21.52 seconds.

“By the time I arrived, I was exhausted,” he said.

“It felt less like reaching a career peak and more like the conclusion of a lengthy journey. There were moments of stress, particularly when we struggled to secure the right swim gear until the very last minute, with some people flying to other states to borrow suits from retired swimmers.”

“I felt strong in the water, my technique was solid, yet I just didn’t have the required pace. It’s frustrating since I was clocking faster times during training.”

“I think I knew before I got there. I can convince myself otherwise, but I had a feeling in the weeks leading up. The plan was to peak at week 12, yet I ended up on the regimen for 20 weeks.”

Magnussen was on a massage table when Gkolomeev, who had joined the quest after hearing about Magnussen’s journey on a podcast, was preparing to take his turn at the blocks.

“I peered out the door and heard the starter’s gun go off,” Magnussen recounted.

“I was probably around the 35-metre mark when I noticed Kristian cruising past. He was absolutely flying. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s fast!’

“Then I saw the time—20.89 seconds. It was surreal. People were rushing around everywhere. Kristian had set a new world record. It was insane.”

Like Magnussen, Gkolomeev is also a retired Olympian who opted for the Enhanced Games after ending his clean competitive career last year. He had previously studied human performance exercise science at a US college.

He secured fifth place in the 100m freestyle at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

Magnussen remained surprisingly composed for someone who had issued a challenge, only to see another take the prize.

“I didn’t get that million dollars, which is a bit of a letdown,” he noted.

“The primary takeaway for me is gaining a thorough understanding of this process and how to train accordingly.”