In Lisbon over the weekend, Canadian runner Corey Bellemore did what only Corey Bellemore seems capable of doing, he broke the beer mile world record, again.
The Windsor, Ontario native won the 2025 Beer Mile World Classic on Saturday in 4 minutes and 27 seconds, shaving a second off his previous official best from 2021 and securing his seventh world title in the event. It was a clean, controlled performance from the 30-year-old, who’s been chasing this exact mark for years.
Bellemore first broke the beer mile world record in 2016 and has owned the discipline ever since. His 2023 attempt came in at 4:30 despite losing a shoe mid-race. A 4:24 run in 2018 might’ve been the fastest of his life, but it was disqualified due to excess foam.
To be official, each beer must be at least 355 ml, five percent alcohol, and fully consumed with no significant foam left. Violations result in time penalties or outright disqualification.
This time, though, everything aligned. Four beers, four laps, no missteps, no foam, no question marks. Just Bellemore doing what he’s done better than anyone for nearly a decade.
The beer mile is one of those things that sounds like a college party stunt, and that’s because it was. The origin story goes back to the late 1980s in Ontario, where a group of university runners invented the format during late-night training shenanigans.
By the early ‘90s, students at Queen’s University had formalized the rules (now known as the Kingston Rules), giving birth to a strange but surprisingly serious global tradition. The current World Classic, held annually, is now the sport’s most prestigious event.
But Bellemore isn’t just the best at a novelty sport. He’s a legitimately fast runner, a sub-4:00 miler with a 3:57 PR, a regular on the Canadian track and road circuit, and an accomplished Half Ironman athlete.
His ability to drink four beers and run four laps in under four-and-a-half minutes isn’t just entertaining, it’s kind of insane.
Whether or not he decides to keep going remains an open question. After hinting at retirement following last year’s race, Bellemore returned this season with a sharp performance that suggests there may still be more to come.
For now, he remains undefeated and unmatched in a sport he helped elevate from underground joke to international competition.
If anyone wants a shot at the crown, they’ll need to drink fast, run faster, and not spill a drop.
