Enhanced Games recruiters arrive in Paris Olympics: Target Australian swim star Ariarne Titmus

The Enhanced Games is ramping up its 2025 debut and recruiters have arrived in Paris to sign potential athletes. One of our Aussie gold medallists is on their radar to join James Magnussen.

Enhanced Games bosses are targeting Australia’s golden girl Ariarne Titmus, USA sprint superstar Noah Lyles and marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge as part of a triple strike on the Paris Olympics — and they don’t need to take drugs to enter.

Athletes can compete clean for the unprecedented $US1 million prizemoney for every world record broken.

Enhanced Games recruiters have been in Paris in a bid to sign the world’s top athletes.

Enhanced Games founder Aron D’Souza confirmed the likes of Titmus, Lyles and Kipchoge are on his hit list and have the option of competing legally in pursuit of the payday.

Australia’s former Olympic freestyle king James Magnussen is the Enhanced Games’ most notable signing thus far, but Melbourne’s D’Souza says other Aussies, headlined by Titmus, are on the radar.

Aussie swim star Ariarne Titmus could compete drug-free at an Enhanced Games. Picture: Adam Head

Amid blazing criticism that the Enhanced Games will corrupt sport by endorsing the use of steroids, potential competitors don’t have to “juice to the gills”.

Titmus cemented her status as one of world sport’s greatest athletes with more gold in Paris and D’Souza is keen for the 23-year-old to dip her toe into the Enhanced Games revolutionary waters.

Asked if he would like to see Titmus compete in the inaugural Enhanced Games, slated for next year, D’Souza said: “Oh, absolutely.

“All athletes are welcome, natural or enhanced … I believe it would make for great television.

US track sensation Noah Lyles is another athlete on the Enhanced Games hit list. Picture: Supplied

“We want to create an opportunity for athletes to really monetise their ability and it would be attractive for any of the top competitors at the Paris Games — a $1 million prize for breaking a world record.”

The 39-year-old D’Souza confirmed the Enhanced Games is ramping up its recruitment ahead of their proposed history-making launch in 2025.

American track star Lyles is also in their sights, as is marathon legend Kipchoge, who turns 40 in November and is at the perfect age for an Enhanced concept that wants to explore the potential for masters athletes.

Kipchoge will look to defend his Tokyo gold medal and is the only man in history to run a sub-2 hour marathon after clocking 1:59.40 as part of the Ineos Challenge in 2019.

Kenya's marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge turns 40 in November and is an Enhanced target. Picture: Supplied

D’Souza stressed an Enhanced Games is not solely about the use of steroids, but exploring other performance-enhancing strategies.

“I’d love to see Kipchoge take part,” he said.

“I have a recruiting team in Paris right now.

“And the athletes are highly receptive to this because, ultimately, it’s about money and fame, right?

“It’s great being at the Paris Olympics, but for many athletes, there’s going to be nothing for the next four years, so the Enhanced Games is another avenue for them.

“Kipchoge is an example of someone, by running a sub-2 marathon, who’s pushed the boundaries of the sport using mechanised enhancements.

“When we talk about the Enhanced Games, there’s a lot of talk about pharmacological enhancements.

“The reality is we’re as much interested in mechanised enhancements and other engineering achievements.

Former Australian Olympian James Magnussen is the Enhanced Games’ most notable recruit. Picture: Supplied

“The marathon is a discipline that I think has huge potential to it.

“The reality is that marathon is a much more participated sport as compared with the sprint distance and the track disciplines.

“Millions of people compete in marathons all over the world each year and there’s no shortage of people who are within a couple of minutes of a two-hour marathon.

“The marathon is compelling. We’d love to see someone like Kipchoge go under two hours in an Enhanced race.”

D’Souza says he has no interest in destroying the Olympics — the Enhanced Games will look to field around 200 athletes in their debut campaign — and dismissed concerns about human safety with excessive doping.

“We will be super safe,” he said.

“We can only do this if it’s safe, regulated, and showing good results.”

Originally published as Enhanced Games recruiters arrive in Paris Olympics: Target Australian swim star Ariarne Titmus