In Lisbon on 27/7, Bellemore delivered a flawless performance, finishing in 4 minutes and 27 seconds. This marks his seventh world championship in the event, shattering the world record he had held for the past three years.
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Corey Bellemore drinks a beer at the 2025 Beer Mile World Classic in Lisbon, Portugal on 27/7. Photo: Sports Notes HK |
Corey Bellemore drinks a beer at the 2025 Beer Mile World Classic in Lisbon, Portugal on 27/7. Photo: Sports Notes HK
Bellemore first competed in the Beer Mile World Classic in 2016 in London, England. The Canadian runner made an immediate impact, winning the title in 4 minutes and 34 seconds, significantly beating the existing world record. This victory marked the beginning of a near-decade of dominance for the Windsor, Ontario native.
In 2021, Bellemore broke the world record for a second time, completing the four laps and four beers in 4 minutes and 28 seconds. His third record-breaking performance at this year's event solidified his position as the top beer mile athlete.
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Bellemore receives enthusiastic support from fans. Photo: Sports Notes HK |
Bellemore receives enthusiastic support from fans. Photo: Sports Notes HK
Before this year's event, Bellemore posted a cryptic message on social media: "I'll retire after Jakob Ingebrigtsen enters the race". This was a challenge directed at the Norwegian Olympic 5,000m champion, who once completed a beer mile in 5 minutes and 22 seconds at his bachelor party.
The Canadian Running Magazine commented, "Ingebrigtsen is still almost a minute behind Bellemore's time. However, if the Olympic champion were to seriously compete in this event, a rivalry between the two would become a major highlight in the world of athletics, and would certainly excite fans to 'crack open a beer' and cheer them on."
The Beer Mile World Classic requires runners to drink beer during the race. According to the rules, runners must complete four laps around a 400m track, consuming a beer before each lap.
The beer cans or bottles must have a minimum volume of 340ml and an alcohol by volume (ABV) of at least 5%. Each beer must be fully consumed, without spilling or leaving any foam. Violations result in penalty laps or disqualification.
This unique event originated in Canada in the late 1980s as a joke among a group of running enthusiasts. The idea of "drinking beer and then running" spread within the amateur athletics community before students at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, established the official rules, known as the "Kingston Rules." Subsequent beer mile events have followed these rules.
In the women's division, Shelby Houlihan became the first female runner to finish under six minutes in the beer mile, with a time of 5 minutes and 43.81 seconds at the 2023 Beer Mile World Classic.
Hong Duy (Canadian Running Magazine)
