What started as therapy for pectus excavatum, a condition that causes a sunken chest, eventually transformed into an Olympic medal-winning career. And when the spotlight shifted to Las Vegas on May 24, it found Cody Miller leaving the Enhanced Games with a promise already made, not to the sport, not to his critics, but to his kids. The Olympic gold medalist has burned every bridge back to traditional swimming, and he has no regrets about what he built on the other side.

After all, he’s taking $500,000 back home to his family. The 34-year-old former Olympian and Team USA swimmer won both the 50m and 100m breaststroke events at the Enhanced Games. In the process, Miller earned 5 times what he made after winning the Olympic gold in Rio. Yet, he has no plans of betting it all in the casino. Instead, he’s taking it home.

“That’s going to be invested in my kids’ future, that’s for sure,” Miller said, as per a video posted by Mick Akers on X. “I’m not going to blow it tonight on red, don’t worry.”

The Las Vegas native made a name for himself when he swam for Palo Verde High School, Indiana University, and later for Team USA as a professional. However, he announced his retirement at the age of 32 in December 2024, bringing an end to an impressive career. That was after winning two Olympic medals, five World Championship medals, and more.

Yet when the Enhanced Games were announced, Miller came out of retirement to participate. The former Olympian confirmed the news on his YouTube channel, where he released a long statement about it.

In it, he touched on various topics, including his father’s death, the perceived dangers of the Enhanced Games, and the money being the reason why he joined it in the first place. However, the 34-year-old also reiterated that he is retired and has nothing to do with USA Swimming anymore.

“I want to clarify: I am officially retired from traditional swimming,” Miller said on YouTube. “No FINA events, no USA Swimming events, none of that. This is something completely different. I have no affiliation with USA Swimming, no partnerships, no contracts, nothing. I have no association with any USA Swimming swim clubs or swim coaches, for that matter. None of that.”

Coming back to the present day, Miller kicked things off with the 50m breaststroke, where he faced off with Felipe Lima, Evgenii Somov, and Miguel De Lara. Yet, the 34-year-old ran a personal best of 26.55 seconds, narrowly beating Lima, who finished in 26.98 seconds. Somov and Lara finished third and fourth. Then the same group of four returned for the 100m breaststroke, where Miller once again thrived.

He clocked 59.47 seconds, well off his personal best of 56.43, with Somov finishing second. The Russian completed the 100m in 59.61, well ahead of Lima in third at 1:01.94 and De Lara in fourth at 1:02.86.

“This has been a childhood dream for me since I was 10 growing up here,” Miller added. “Having a competition like this. And I just shaved about seven-tenths off my personal test at 34. It’s way more than I’ve ever made in swimming before in one night. Pretty cool to do it in front of a home crowd.”

Miller didn’t just win twice in front of a hometown crowd; he did it on his own terms. Yet, well before the spotlight even hit him from the winner’s podium, the 34-year-old had plenty to say.

Cody Miller reflects on the Enhanced Games

For most of the 42 athletes on show at the Enhanced Games, world records are the aim. As athletes, that is what has drawn the most attention, especially from the organizers, who have built the hype around it. However, the prize money has also lured quite a few participants. That almost goes without saying, given the potential $1 million reward for breaking world records.

Not just that, with $250,000 up for grabs per win, it has made things rather interesting. And for a former Olympian like Cody Miller, the money definitely played a part. More importantly, for the 34-year-old, sport is changing with the introduction of enhancements, which is something he wanted to be part of.

“I’ve had lots of conversations about this, and a lot of you are gonna disagree with this, and that’s okay,” Miller said on YouTube in 2025. “I respect your opinion. All I ask is that you respect my decision as well. The reality is that the world is changing. Enhancements is here.

The Enhanced Games is here. And I think it will be cool for us to compare. Here are the enhanced athletes, and here are the non-enhanced athletes. This is a new thing. It’s a new form of competition.”

In the end, Miller didn’t come back to prove a point to USA Swimming. He came back to put $500,000 in his kids’ futures, and in Las Vegas of all places, he left with exactly what he came for.