Olympic star James Magnussen has bristled at a question from Sunrise host Nat Barr and described it as a ‘cheap line’ during an interview about why he’s been taking drugs for a wild new sporting event.
The dual Olympian has taken a medically supervised concoction of peptides, testosterone and other substances to prepare for the Enhanced Games – and says he’s never felt better.
Magnussen is the poster boy for the event, which features swimming, track and field and weightlifting, and encourages athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs.
The 34-year-old Aussie star was appearing on Sunrise on Thursday morning to discuss the controversial topic when Barr asked him what message the Games sends to kids around the world who are training hard to make it in sport.
‘I think it’s a cheap line to say “What about the kids?”, right,’ replied Magnussen.
‘You can say that about any sport. But if I can liken it to anything, think about Formula One racing.
James Magnussen (pictured) has hit back at a question from Sunrise host Nat Barr about his participation in the controversial Enhanced Games
The dual Olympian appeared on Sunrise on Thursday morning to discuss the Games and was hit with tough questions by hosts Matt Shirvington and Natalie Barr (pictured)
‘Just because a kid sits at home and watches Lewis Hamilton drive at 300km/h doesn’t mean he can go out on public roads and drive at 300km/h.
‘So, I think it’s up to us as adults, parents, aunties and uncles of kids to explain the difference between elite sport and current organisations…’
Sunrise host Matt Shirvington then asked Magnusson if he’d be happier for his children to win a gold medal at the Olympics or break a record at the Enhanced Games.
‘Shirvo, my goal as a kid was to go to the Olympic Games and I was lucky enough to fulfill that lifelong dream and it’s something I’ll be proud of for the rest of my life,’ said Magnusson.
‘I see the enhanced Games as a completely separate event.
‘So, for my kids I’d say go for the Olympic Games, go for the World Championships… this [the Enhanced Games] will be a feasible option in the future though for other athletes, and to be quite honest, a much more financially beneficial option.’
Magnussen recently revealed that his dream of breaking the 50m freestyle world record and win the US$1m prize offered by the Enhanced Games went up in smoke when rival swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev managed the feat.
‘I looked out the door (while getting a massage) and heard the starter gun go off,’ Magnussen told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Magnussen says he’s never felt better after taking drugs ahead of the Enhanced Games launch
The Aussie (pictured in training) said that his ‘strength went through the roof’ and that he put on almost 5kg of muscle in just 10 days
At the Enhanced Games, athletes are encouraged to use the sort of drugs that would otherwise see them cop huge bans from competing (stock image)
‘I was probably at the 35-metre mark when I saw Kristian go past. He was absolutely flying. I was like, ‘Holy shit, that’s fast’.
‘I looked up, and it was 20.89. It was bizarre. People were running into rooms everywhere. Kristian had broken the world record. It was crazy.’
Magnussen recently took his first course of performance enhancements over eight to 10 weeks in the United States.
Medicos told Magnussen he ‘might put on a bit of muscle’ in four to six weeks after starting enhancements.
‘Within 10 days, I put on 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of muscle,’ he said.
‘I just was getting bigger and stronger and my strength just went through the roof.
‘Halfway through my protocol, I probably could have gone to a 50-metre swimming race or Mr Olympia (the famous bodybuilding competition).
‘I was just getting so big and so strong and we didn’t know that would happen.
‘In terms of health metrics, my resting heart rate lowered, my blood pressure lowered, my cholesterol lowered – my fitness was really good.
‘They were the things that I think everyone was worried about and they were actually not an issue at all.’
