Fred Kerley Explains Why He Missed Usain Bolt's Record at Enhanced Games

Fred Kerley clocked a modest 9.97 seconds to win the 100m at the Enhanced Games on Sunday, an event marred by multiple false starts and delays that saw sprinters reset in the blocks four times.

The 2022 world champion had boldly predicted he would "destroy" Usain Bolt's 9.58-second world record. However, his winning time would have placed him last in the final at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he won silver with a 9.84.

The time is also unofficial, as the Enhanced Games permit the use of performance-enhancing drugs banned in traditional sports.

The chaotic start to the main event seemed to drain the energy from the race before it even began. The field of six runners was called back three times, once for a sprinter to retie his shoe and twice more for false starts, where no athlete was disqualified.

"A lot of false starts, a lot of jumping, a lot of people who didn't want to run their heats," Kerley commented on the disorganised proceedings, which included a preliminary race where he also false-started without being disqualified. "Got to do better than that. I'm ready to run fast."

Despite the underwhelming performance, Fred Kerley, who stated he is not using performance enhancers, collected the $250,000 first-place prize. The event aims to provide athletes with financial opportunities often unavailable in mainstream Olympic sports.

Fred Kerley's challenge to Usain Bolt's iconic 17-year-old record had generated significant buzz, even drawing a simple "OK" from the Jamaican legend on social media. But on race night, it became clear the record was never in jeopardy.

After the race, Kerley appeared to deflect blame for the slow time. "Man, they've got to do better than that," he said. "Got to train a little harder, train on that [expletive] a little more."

The event, held before a curated crowd of about 2,500, is part of a larger venture backed by investors like Peter Thiel.

Enhanced Games CEO Max Martin described the event as "just the beginning," with a vision to evolve into an online pharmacy offering performance enhancers under medical supervision.

Interestingly, both the men's and women's 100m winners claimed they were not using banned substances. This outcome raises questions about the efficacy of such drugs and the overall calibre of athletes competing in the league.

While the track events fell short of expectations, organisers reported 14 personal bests set by 12 athletes in swimming and weightlifting.

Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev, who had previously won a $1 million bonus from the organisation for a record-breaking trial swim, added to his earnings. "Another million, it's not bad at all," he said. "It's going to change my life for the better, for sure."

For Kerley, however, the financial reward seemed secondary. When asked if he was happy with the $250,000 prize, he replied, "I think I am. But I think we all know what we came here for, and that's a world record."