First there was Bannister, then there was El Guerrouj, and now, with four beers on board, continuing to re-define the limits of human ability, there is Josh Harris.

Up yours, Harris: Hicham El Guerrouj holds the non-beer mile world record at 3:43.13. Image: PhotoRun

The Australian smashed the beer mile world record with a 4:56.2 performance today, a run which, subject to ratification (by beermile.com, not the IAAF) will remove American James Nielsen’s 4:57.00 performance from the record books.

Harris’s previous best ratified mark was the 5:02.5 he ran three years ago in Melbourne, but now it appears he can officially call himself a sub-five-minute man, one of only two in the history of the wacky event, which has gained a growing cult following in recent years.

After his run, Harris, 25, told Sports Illustrated: “It’s something I’ve been working on for a few weeks now. Training has included 3 shorter interval sessions (200-400m) with beer recovery in the final set. I’ve also been drinking one beer per night at top speed and on a Sunday after my long run eating as much food as I can with a beer to finish once I’m close to puking.”

The rules of the beer mile state that the beer must be 5.0 or higher in alcohol concentration and drunk from a 12-ounce (355ml) can  or bottle that has not been altered or opened prior to the race. Four beers must be consumed, one before each of four running laps. Those who vomit must run a penalty lap.

Harris’s splits (for beer +400m) were 70, 2:27, 3:45, 4:56.

Watch his record run below.

For our entirely unprofessional coverage of the Irish beer mile championships last month, click here.

The current all-time official top-10, courtesy of www.beermile.com

1	James Nielsen	4:57.0	2014		San Francisco, CA Marin Beer Mile	Budweiser
2	Corey Gallagher	5:00.2	2014		Circuit of the Americas, … Flotrack 2014 Championshi…	Bud Light Platinum
3	Corey Gallagher	5:01.6	2014		Winnipeg, MB 2014 Manitoba Summer Beer…	Budweiser
4	Josh “Joshua” Harris	5:01.8	2015		Launceston, Australia Season Opener	Coopers 62
5	Josh Harris	5:02.5	2012		Melbourne, Australia 2012 Autumn Classic Beer …	Maxx Dry
6	Michael Cunningham	5:07.9	2014		Circuit of the Americas, … Flotrack 2014 Championshi…	Bud Light Platinum
7	Jim Finlayson	5:09.0	2007		Victoria, BC 4th Annual Dave Smart Bee…	Granville Island Winter A…
8	Josh “Harry” Harris	5:16.3	2012		St. Leonards, Australia Australian Beer Mile show…	Lowenbrau
9	Jack Colreavy	5:17.0	2013		Rawlinson Track, Melbourn… 2013 Parkville Beer Mile
10	Michael Ryan	5:18.0	2014		New York, NY NYC Mens Beer Mile Champi…	Budweiser