Former Greek Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev went under the world record in the men’s 50 freestyle (LCM) during filming for the Enhanced Games’ documentary, as caught on video by Brett Hawke and posted to YouTube on Wednesday.
Gkolomeev, 31, fired off a time of 20.89, dipping under the 16-year-old super-suited world record of 20.91 set by Brazilian Cesar Cielo in 2009.
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Gkolomeev said he had been taking performance-enhancing drugs for just two weeks prior to delivering this swim. The swim was officiated, it’s worth noting.
He was also wearing a Jaked suit, one of the brands that was at the forefront of the now-banned polyurethane suits that saw numerous world records fall in 2009. The super-suits have been banned since January 1, 2010.
During the Enhanced Games press conference launch, a video also shows Gkolomeev clock 21.03 in the 50 free wearing a jammer, dipping under Caeleb Dressel‘s mark of 21.04, which stands as the fastest textile swim ever.
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Gkolomeev said that in his 20.89 swim, he was only two weeks into taking performance-enhancing drugs and weighed 203 pounds. In the second attempt with the jammer, he was two months into taking PEDs and had gained 10 pounds of muscle.
Last year, Australian James Magnussen was the first well-known athlete to declare his intention of competing in the Enhanced Games, and it was confirmed he would earn a $1 million check if he broke the 50 free world record.
Hawke posted a picture of Gkolomeev with a $1 million check on his Instagram Stories. Based on the check, the swim was produced in February at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Gkolomeev’s official personal best time stands at 21.44, set at the 2018 European Championships where he won the silver medal. That was the first of four straight 50 free medals for Gkolomeev at LC Euros—last summer, he won gold at the 2024 edition in a time of 21.72.
He also won silver at the 2019 World Championships in the 50 free, tying with Brazilian Bruno Fratus in 21.45.
Gkolomeev’s last sanctioned competition was the Paris Olympics, where he placed 5th in the final in a time of 21.59. He also tied for 5th at the Tokyo Olympics (21.72) and placed 13th in Rio (21.98). He also raced in London in 2012, placing 31st in the 100 free.
Gkolomeev attended college in the United States, competing for Alabama and winning individual NCAA titles in the 50 free in 2014 and the 100 free in 2015.
A full 61-minute documentary has also been uploaded on YouTube detailing Gkolomeev’s path to going 20.89:
Its hilarious reading all the hate comments
Sounds like most everyone didn’t like the dude before he decided to use PEDs
I mean… yeah, ofcourse, it’s like getting in a lamborghini on the olympic 100M dash. Ofcourse your’e gonna win.
I still find the idea and concept interesting, tough
A disgrace, I am sickened and saddened
This combination of the suit and the drugs is really stupid because now there is no way of determining how much each factor contributed to the result.
This is awesome! Hope we see some other big names with some big times!
Okay, but by the Enhanced Games “anything goes” rule, surely Mauricio Fernandez’s 15.00 50m Free in a monofin is the “fastest swimmer in history”?
Next up we’re allowing fins and an air jet engine
Every single Olympic finalist could probably break the world record in a poly suit.
Gkolomeev absolutely swindled the enhanced games organizers.
Not in a 50. He also got under the textile best