IRISH OLYMPIC SWIMMER Max McCusker has defended his choice to compete in the Enhanced Games.
Following the example of Shane Ryan, with whom he competed for Ireland in the pool, he cited the financial element as a motivating factor in switching to the Games, the multi-sports competition that permit athletes using performance-enhancing drugs.
McCusker told BBC Radio Somerset: “Post-Olympics, I essentially had no money.
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“I’m not a Premier League footballer. You don’t make a lot of money in swimming. I guess, as a professional swimmer for four-ish years, I probably made less than £10,000.”
Like many other Olympic athletes, he had to work and relied on funding from parents to realise his dream of competing.
He is the holder of some Irish swim records, including breaking the 100m butterfly record twice in one day at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha in 2024.
After retirement following the Paris Olympics and a short spell spent working in the corporate sector, McCusker was contacted and asked about his availability to take part in the Enhanced Games, hosted in Las Vegas next May.
The Butterfly specialist stands to make €428,000 should he win an event, while there is €856,000 on offer for those that break world records.
“It was just an absolute no-brainer. Not just the financial side. It was out of interest,” McCusker said.
“I’d done an Olympics – and barely anyone’s done that – but this is another great opportunity. A great experience to do something that no-one’s done before.”
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McCusker describes competing in Enhanced Games as a 'no-brainer'
IRISH OLYMPIC SWIMMER Max McCusker has defended his choice to compete in the Enhanced Games.
Following the example of Shane Ryan, with whom he competed for Ireland in the pool, he cited the financial element as a motivating factor in switching to the Games, the multi-sports competition that permit athletes using performance-enhancing drugs.
McCusker told BBC Radio Somerset: “Post-Olympics, I essentially had no money.
“I’m not a Premier League footballer. You don’t make a lot of money in swimming. I guess, as a professional swimmer for four-ish years, I probably made less than £10,000.”
Like many other Olympic athletes, he had to work and relied on funding from parents to realise his dream of competing.
He is the holder of some Irish swim records, including breaking the 100m butterfly record twice in one day at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha in 2024.
After retirement following the Paris Olympics and a short spell spent working in the corporate sector, McCusker was contacted and asked about his availability to take part in the Enhanced Games, hosted in Las Vegas next May.
The Butterfly specialist stands to make €428,000 should he win an event, while there is €856,000 on offer for those that break world records.
“It was just an absolute no-brainer. Not just the financial side. It was out of interest,” McCusker said.
“I’d done an Olympics – and barely anyone’s done that – but this is another great opportunity. A great experience to do something that no-one’s done before.”
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ENHANCED DRUGS Freak Show Swimming THE LUCRE