Kerley wins Enhanced Games 100m but falls short of Bolt record

Fred Kerley, who had predicted he would shatter Usain Bolt’s longstanding 100-meter world record, won the men’s sprint at the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on Sunday night but fell far short of the mark. Kerley ran 9.97 seconds, a time that would have placed him last at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he won bronze with a 9.81. Bolt’s record of 9.58, set at the 2009 world championships, remains untouched.

The race was marred by disruptions. Sprinters were placed in the starting blocks four times because of false starts and one runner stopping to retie his shoe. 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 said afterward. He insisted he competed without performance-enhancing drugs. “I don’t need it,” he told reporters. “God gave me fast feet for a reason.” He earned $250,000 for the win.

The only athlete to claim the $1 million bonus for surpassing a world record was Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev, who completed the 50-meter freestyle in 20.81 seconds, edging the official mark of 20.88 set two months ago by Cameron McEvoy. That time will not be recognized in official records because the...