Olympic Gold Medalist Hunter Armstrong Joins Enhanced Games, Plans To Compete Clean
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder Hunter Armstrong has joined the Enhanced Games, he confirmed to SwimSwam, but does not plan on taking performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong, 25, is the first athlete to publicly commit to the Enhanced Games with the intention of competing clean.
In an Instagram story on Tuesday, Armstrong made his intent on competing clean clear: "If I don’t join Enhanced, I lose everything. If I do join Enhanced, I have a chance at not losing everything."
The two-time American Olympian has been open about the financial struggles he's dealt with as a professional swimmer, leading him to consider retirement last year. He discussed the situation in depth last May on the SwimSwam Podcast.
Armstrong told SwimSwam that pursuing the Enhanced Games, which is offering $1 million for breaking the world record in the 50 freestyle and a $500,000 prize purse for each event ($250,000 going to the winner), was his best option to continue supporting himself financially while training to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
However, even if Armstrong competes in the Enhanced Games without taking performance-enhancing drugs, something will have to give in order for him to be able to compete in World Aquatics-sanctioned events. The international governing body enacted a bylaw (bylaw 10) last year banning any participants in Enhanced Games competitions from its events.
The Enhanced Games filed a lawsuit against World Aquatics, along with USA Swimming and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), alleging that bylaw 10 was anticompetitive, but a Federal Judge concluded that it didn’t do what Enhanced claims it did.
Armstrong’s signing gives the Enhanced Games a harmed party to potentially sue World Aquatics and USA Swimming again. Armstrong told ESPN he spoke with World Aquatics officials prior to the announcement but did not get a clear answer on how his eligibility status would be handled.
"Nobody really knows what’s going to happen, and nobody will give me an answer on what’s going to happen," Armstrong said, according to ESPN. "So all I can work off of is what the rules say and take a chance because I won’t get an answer by waiting."
USA Swimming National Team Director Greg Meehan sent the following email to National Team members on Tuesday after Armstrong’s decision was made public:
"We are aware that Hunter Armstrong has announced his plans to participate in the Enhanced Games as a clean athlete. I wanted to be sure you heard from USA Swimming immediately and directly. We are disappointed in this news, as Hunter has been a valuable member of our National Team for over five years, and we are not sure how the relevant regulatory bodies will respond to this unprecedented situation. If we learn more to address this uncertainty, we will share with you."
Armstrong last competed at the U.S. Open in December, placing 14th in the final of the men’s 50 free (22.35) and finishing in the same position in the heats of the 50 back (25.65) before scratching the final. He did not compete at the U.S. National Championships in June, the American selection meet for the 2025 World Championships, but did race at the U.S. Pro Championships in August, earning a runner-up finish in the 50 free (21.76).
A former Ohio State Buckeye, Armstrong broke out in 2021 by qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team in the men’s 100 back, going on to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Games as a prelim member of the men’s 4×100 medley relay. After winning five medals at the 2022 World Championships and three at the 2023 edition in Fukuoka, highlighted by an individual gold medal in the 50 back, Armstrong made his second straight Olympic team in 2024, earning a silver medal in Paris in the men’s medley relay while placing 11th in the 100 back.
Armstrong is the 18th swimmer to commit to the Enhanced Games and the second American man, joining fellow Olympic gold medalist Cody Miller. Enhanced Games Commitments – Swimming
Country Athlete Olympics
Australia James Magnussen 2012 (silver, bronze), 2016 (bronze)
Brazil Felipe Lima 2012, 2016, 2021
Bulgaria Josif Miladinov 2021, 2024
Bulgaria Antani Ivanov 2021
Colombia Isabella Arcila 2016, 2021
Germany Marius Kusch 2021
Great Britain Ben Proud 2016, 2021, 2024 (silver)
Great Britain Emily Barclay —
Greece Kristian Gkolomeev 2012, 2016, 2021, 2024
Ireland Shane Ryan 2016, 2021, 2024
Ireland Max McCusker 2024
Mexico Miguel de Lara Ojeda 2024
Poland Natalia Fryckowska –
Russia Evgenii Somov 2024
Ukraine Andriy Govorov 2012, 2016
United States Megan Romano –
United States Cody Miller 2016 (gold, bronze)
United States Hunter Armstrong 2021 (gold), 2024 (gold, silver)
In This Story
Cody Miller
Hunter Armstrong
About James Sutherland
James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back, and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019, he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam...
