Sprinter Reece Prescod signs up for the Advanced Games

The British athlete joins American Fred Curley in the “Olympic on Steroids” tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas in May.

When Rhys Prescod retired from athletics last year at the age of 29, he said AW: he wanted to redirect his drive and passion into coaching and grassroots development. But the British sprinter, whose 100m best is 9.93, says he wants to compete at the Enhanced Games this year.

The controversial event takes place in Las Vegas in May and according to The Times he joins the likes of American sprinter Fred Curley in competitions where drugs are allowed.

“I am very excited to be joining the sprint field and competing in the inaugural Extended Games,” he said in a statement. “The extended medical team is top notch and has prioritized my safety and well-being from the start. Enhanced has provided me with life-changing medical supervision, exceptional training support, and a fantastic reimbursement model.

“I want to push myself to new heights in Las Vegas and compete with my fellow sprinters. This is a new chapter for me and I’m excited to be a part of something where I feel valued and talent is recognized.”

READ MORE. Reece Prescod’s retirement interview

Prescod won the British title in 2017 and broke the 10-second barrier for the 100m. She won European 100m silver in 2018 behind Britain’s Jarnell Hughes and appeared to have more potential over 200m but was often wary of training and racing around bends due to the risk of injury.

In one remarkable interviewHe admitted that he went off the rails in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics, ordering fast food and playing computer games all night. But then he managed to get himself back into shape, only to struggle again for form and fitness before finally and quietly hanging up his spikes almost 12 months ago.

His PB of 9.93 in a slight headwind at Ostrava in 2022 puts him at No.4 on the British all-time list, while he also ran a wind-aided 9.88 at Eugene in 2018.

UK Athletics was quick to condemn Prescod’s decision, with its chief executive Jack Buckner saying: “As a former athlete, I find this particularly appalling. Those of us who have competed know what it takes to succeed the right way through talent, dedication and respect for the rules. To see a British sportsman identify with drug use is a huge celebration of drug use.”

The governing body added: “UKA does not recognize the Enhanced Games as a legitimate sporting competition. Any event that promotes or allows the use of harmful substances to push the human body to its limits for short-term goals is not sport as we value it.

“This concept fundamentally undermines the integrity of competition, places the health and welfare of athletes at serious risk and is incompatible with the principles of clean sport that underpin athletics in the UK and around the world.

“British athletes have felt the devastating effects of doping over the years, losing opportunities to win major medals, only to be recognized years later or stripped of their medals, so it is disappointing to see a former member of the team overlooked in this way.

“UKA’s clean athletics policy is clear. doping and the use of prohibited substances or methods will not be tolerated. Although Rhys Prescod is no longer part of UKA’s performance system, his decision to be involved in an event that is in direct contravention of both our policy and the World Anti-Doping Code is unacceptable.

“Generations of British athletes have built their reputations on talent, dedication and integrity. Advanced gaming goes directly against those values.”

Prescod is the second British athlete to join the Enhanced Games after world swimming champion Ben Prade signed up for the competition last year.

In addition to appearance fees, the event offers up to $250,000 in prize money per event and a $1 million bonus if an athlete can break Usain Bolt’s 100m world record.