The Enhanced Games, held in Las Vegas, demonstrated that doping in sports does not guarantee success, as only one world record was broken, and it was due to a wetsuit, not performance-enhancing drugs. The event underscored the importance of natural ability and genetics in elite sports, highlighting that while drugs can enhance existing talent, they cannot create greatness from scratch. Picture: Picture: BRYAN STEFFY / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP/ Google Gemini
Whether the Enhanced Games was a success depends on which way you look at it, but one thing stood out - doping in sport does not guarantee success.
The inaugural Enhanced Games was held in Las Vegas in mid-May with 16 events on display across athletics, swimming, and weightlifting.
It was supposed to be a chance for athletes, through the help of performance-enhancing drugs, to see how many world records would come crashing down.
However, only one world record was bettered (it won’t count, of course) by Kristian Gkolomeev of Greece, who set a new world record in the men’s 50m freestyle. His performance advantage was a wetsuit, which has been outlawed by World Aquatics.
