Cameron McEvoy expressed his frustration over not receiving any financial reward for breaking the world record in the men's 50m freestyle at the China Open last week. The Australian swimmer, who achieved this milestone in Shenzhen, surpassed Cesar Cielo's long-standing record of 20.91 seconds, which had stood for 17 years during the era of swimming's 'supersuits'.

McEvoy, now 31, highlighted the disparity between his achievement and the $1 million bonus promised to swimmers breaking the 50m freestyle world record at the upcoming Enhanced Games in Las Vegas this May. He pointed out that his path to this historic victory was significantly harder and remarked:

"It's crazy to think that to get a world record without a suit and without any performance-enhancing drugs, as a clean athlete, the bonus is zero dollars."

While World Aquatics does offer rewards for record-breaking performances, the China Open was not sanctioned by the governing body, resulting in no bonuses being awarded. For context, athletes can earn:

• $30,000 for Aquatics World Championship records
• $25,000 for Swimming World Championship records
• $10,000 for World Cup meet records

Additionally, McEvoy's time of 20.89 seconds was faster than the unofficial record set by Kristian Gkolomeev, who received $1 million for his performance during a trial in the United States last year.

Reflecting on his achievement, McEvoy stated that it fulfilled a childhood dream, accomplished through a focus on strength training rather than extensive pool time. He also noted that he had been denied sponsorship opportunities due to his age, emphasizing that his record demonstrates that swimmers in their 30s can still excel.

In a nod to his accomplishment, the starting block from his race in Shenzhen will be preserved in a sports museum in the city.