Kathrine Frich
The physical toll of the attempt was immediate.
Some people spend their entire lives training to leave a quiet mark on history. They practice in silence, refining their skills far away from the public eye. But for others, making history requires making as much noise as physically possible.
Shaking the scale
An Australian man recently blasted his way into the global spotlight. Joseph McGrail-Bateup managed to register a jaw-dropping vocal performance that stunned local observers.
He was officially crowned as the loudest man alive. During a supervised test, his voice reached a staggering 122.4 decibels.
According to a report by 20 Minutes, that immense sound output easily matches the deafening roar of a commercial jet engine taking off. It also mirrors the intense blare of a nearby ambulance siren.
Breaking old limits
The 58-year-old managed to shatter a record that stood firmly for over three decades. Back in 1994, a Northern Irish school teacher named Annalisa Flanagan hit 121.7 decibels.
Securing the official title takes more than just screaming randomly. Rules state the participant must clearly articulate a real word.
Flanagan previously yelled “Quiet” to claim her prize. This time, the Australian record-breaker went with a simpler choice, shouting “Now” to steal the crown.
A painful victory
The physical toll of the attempt was immediate. McGrail-Bateup had to push his body to the absolute limit to make the phrase recognizable to judges.
“It took me seven attempts to manage a single word, and my voice was broken for the next few days,” he told ABC News Australia. He noted, “It was hoarse. It was horrible. So no, you can’t really train for it.”
Despite the rough recovery, he manages to practice his loud voice regularly. The government appointed him as the official town crier for the capital city of Canberra back in 2017.
Moving right along
This is not his first time rewriting the history books. He previously held a world speed record for archery after firing ten arrows in just over one minute.
A young boy eventually broke that record, but the Australian is not losing sleep over it. He has no plans to try and win it back.
“If someone beats me, that’s fantastic,” the new record holder concluded cheerfully. He added, “Records are made to be broken.”
Sources: 20 Minutes, ABC News Australia
