James Magnussen doesn’t just look different- he looks like a completely new athlete. The former Australian Olympic swimmer has stunned fans by undergoing an extreme physical transformation after spending a year training for the controversial Enhanced Games, where organizers encourage competitors to use performance-enhancing drugs.
Once known for his lean, muscular Olympic frame, Magnussen now boasts a dramatically bulked-up physique, with a triangle-shaped torso and massive shoulders. At 34, the former world champion is making headlines again- not for medals but for what he represents: a new, polarizing chapter in competitive sport.
The Rise Of The Enhanced Games
Magnussen became the first confirmed athlete for the Enhanced Games last year and quickly turned into its unofficial poster boy. The event, backed by Enhanced Games founder Aron D’Souza and supported by figures like Donald Trump Jr, offers $1 million to anyone who breaks a world record- no bans, no testing, no questions asked.
Magnussen attempted to do just that. In the documentary 50 Meters to History: The First Superhuman, he clocks a sub-24-second 50m freestyle after months of intense, enhanced training. Though he failed to beat the world record, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev succeeded- using both performance-enhancing drugs and a now-banned swimsuit- and pocketed the million-dollar prize.
James Magnussen looks unrecognizable after preparing for the Enhanced Games. Contests are encouraged to use performance-enhancing drugs to break world records. If they break a record, they get $1 million. pic.twitter.com/2uX8yP1ehx
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) May 29, 2025
The swimming world didn’t take kindly to the spectacle. World Aquatics dismissed the competition as a “circus” and warned of potential bans for any swimmer who takes part, regardless of whether they use drugs or not. “Like clowns juggling knives, sadly, these athletes will get hurt performing in this circus,” the organization told LADbible.
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Current Olympic champion Cam McEvoy also weighed in, telling The Sydney Morning Herald, “It doesn’t count in any way, shape or form when you take drugs or wear one of the banned suits, or both.”
Despite the backlash, interest in the Enhanced Games is growing. Retired world record holder Andrii Govorov confirmed he will compete. Magnussen, meanwhile, has urged more athletes, even current ones, to join the movement. He believes it’s only a matter of time before someone still active leaps.
Also Read: Summer Olympics Reveals Update On Inclusion Of Mixed-Gender Events At 2028 Games In Los Angeles
