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Bleep Test Athlete Results

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Results

Despite there being lots of references to the beep/bleep test online, there is not many instances of actual scores or results being published. The following are just some that are known or have been found through searching on the internet (mostly males). However, you must consider that it is difficult to compare scores as it is not known what test version or protocol are used (see variations). As the shuttle run test is mainly for team sports, most of the great distance runners of the world, who would undoubtedly perform the best on this test, have not undertaken the test.

Top Scores

There are unconfirmed rumors that some athletes have completed the whole 23 levels of the test, which is probably unlikely. Top elite endurance athletes would be expected to reach up to level 19. See also details of best ever beep test results. Below are some of the test scores that have been found, with not all of them being confirmed.

Rugby Union

An article by US Sevens player Dallen Stanford lists the minimum requirement set by the Coach Al Caravelli as Level 13, with many players going well above Level 14 and occasionally Level 15. The highest he had ever witnessed was Andrew McNaughton who ran around 16.4.(from Ultimate Rugby 7s website, 29 Sept 2009)
In a recent fitness test, the fitness coach of the Flying Fijians, Nacanieli Cawanibuka, set the beep test standard for the tight forwards at Level 12, while the standard for the loosies and the backs was at Level 13. No one reached the standards! Tailevu fullback Iliesa Keresoni was the first to drop out at Level 8.3, while at the other end of the scale Roko and Boko managed Level 11.8, Burotu Level 11.10, and the highest score was by Namosi second five eight Racika who fell just short of the Level 13 mark at Level 12.6 (reported in the Fiji Times Online, September 12, 2009).
Coach Al Caravelli said that players looking for selection in the US Rugby team should have at least a 13 in the beep test (reported on rugbyenews.com, 'How Club 7s Guys Can Make the Eagles', Aug 2009).
South African rugby player, Cheetahs' veteran lock Barend Pieterse, runs a 13-plus bleep test (iol website, Jul 08)
In 1999 the average Beep test for the Australian referees on the National Referee Panel was 11.2. This increased to level 11.11 in 2001 and 12.7 in 2004. The International Rugby Board (IRB) now have a minimum required level for their referees of 12.5 (reported in article from juniors.rugby.com.au, 2004 report).
The Indian rugby sevens team achieved an average of between level 12 and 14 after some pre-season training focusing on fitness (India Times website, Dec 07)
The Springboks in 2007 expected scores for the beep test range from 11.5 for the props up to 13.5 for the backs (conducted on grass, more on Springboks norms).
English rugby legend Martin Johnson said in an interview that he was able to achieve around 14 during his playing days (EuroSport Website, Oct 2007).
NSW (Australia) Under 17 rugby union squad are required to reach at least level 10.8 (Tamworth Leader, retrieved Aug 07).
Graeme Bachop, All Black scrum half, apparently did a level 19 in the early 90's.
Most professional rugby flankers score in the 12 to 13 range, while props score around level 10. Jonah Lomu, the awesome 260 lb winger from the New Zealand All Blacks, has a best of only level 10 explaining why he is a winger and not a number 8.
Fiji's Kini Qereqeretabua's effort in the beep test of 17.1 is very impressive, especially considering that he is 103kg. Team-mate Netani Suka recorded 16.7 (Jan 2007).
English Union players Steve Backley and Neil Back were hitting level 16 (personal report, 2002). Flanker Neil Back is sometimes reported as having completed to the test.

Rugby League

Average from Newcastle Knights squad (n=98) was level 13.1 (range 10.6 - 15.7) (personal communication in 2009, Lee Clark). There are more fitness test results from the Newcastle Knights).
Newcastle Knights player Kurt Gidley holds the record at the club for the beep test at just under level 16, which he set a couple of years ago (before they stopped doing them, they now do a 6-minute run test). Most players averaged in the 12 or 13 range (from article in the Herald Sun, July 2008).
In an article about the fitness of Rugby League referee, Bill Harrigan says it is not uncommon for a ref to be reaching 15 in the beep test (goldcoast.com.au, July 08).

Field Hockey

The Canberra Lakers Hockey Team reached an average of 15.8 in preparation for the Australian Hockey League in 2008 (from the Canberra TImes, Dec 2007).
The best players in the Australian Hockey team get to around level 17 (Livermore and Dwyer), most reach between 14-16, and a couple may just make 12.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) announced that it will introduce the beep test for players in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) for the coming season, as they wanted to take the MHL to a higher level. Passing the test will be compulsory for all players. In the first year the pass mark will be lower, but in following years, players must pass the international mark (Level 14) to be eligible to play.

Basketball

Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash reaches level 14 (published 2007).
Steve Nash reaches level 17 (unconfirmed)

Cricket

South African cricket captain Graeme Smith was reported to have achieved a Level 13 on the beep test three weeks previously (from a comment on The Science of Sport Blog, 30 Sept 2009).
Ex-South African champion Lance Klusener, at the age of 37, reached a very credible level 13.0 during testing for his ICL Royal Bengal Tigers side in India (cricinfo.com, Oct 2008)
NZ Central Districts player Brent Hefford achieved 13.3 on his first-up effort in the beep test (reported in Hawkes Bay Online, Aug 07).
Up and coming Australian cricketer from Tasmania, Ben Hilfenhaus, is regarded as one of the fittest players in Australian cricket. He has recorded a level 15 in the beep test (Jan 07).

Australian Rules Football (AFL)

During the 2009 AFL draft camp, the average of the beep test was almost 14, which is up nearly three shuttles over the camp average. The best was Brayden Norris from the Murray Bushrangers with 15-6, equaling the camp record. (reported on AFL.com.au, Oct 2009). Also, the "mean" for tall forwards was 12.9 with the best tall forward in Canberra achieving 13.3 (from The Age online). See more AFL draft camp results.
The top two in the West Coast Eagles club records for the beep test are 1. Callum Chamber who once reached 16.01, and 2. Chris Judd with 15.14. The next three had high 15s: Rowan Jones, Josh Wooden and Kasey Green (as seen on an Eagles clubroom tour, and quoted on BigFooty.com, Jun 2009).
The beep test is performed at the Draft Camp each year. Some of the best results in previous years are: 15.08 by Tom Rischbieth in 2005, and 15.06 by Jarrad McVeigh (2002) and David Spriggs (1999). See more draft camp results.
Dean Cox of the West Coast Eagles, a tall ruckman, is reported to score in the high 14s for the beep (The Daily Telegraph, April 09).
Essendon's Scott Gumbleton, who was the #2 draft pick in 2006, is preparing well for this season. He achieved 15.2 in the beep test, which is not bad for a player 200cm tall (from DreamTeamTalk website, Jan 2009).
West Coast Eagles: 19-year-old Mitch Brown, coming back from a knee injury, won the first pre-season beep test with a score of 15.0. Midfielder Matt Priddis also scored 15.0 in the same test. (AFL.com, Oct 2008).
Brisbane Lions: Last year only four Lions recorded beep test scores of 15 or more. This year there were six, and three of the club's best runners - Luke Power, Simon Black and Joel Patfull - didn't participate. (Courier Mail, Jan 08).
Bomber Mark Johnson recorded a 15.2 beep test during the 2007 season, placing him in the elite group at Windy Hill (Herald Sun, Oct 2007).
At the 2007 Pre-Season Draft Camp, the potential top pick, ruckman Matthew Kreuzer had the 10th best beep test, reaching level 14.2. The best beep score this year was 15.2 by Cale Morton (Chris Judd got 15.1 back in 2001) (Oct 2007).
It is reported the reigning Premiers and reputedly the fittest team, the West Coast Eagles, have more than 12 players who score level 15 and above (Jan 2007).
Simon Black of the Brisbane Lions has the club record of 15.11 (from 2005)
At the AFL draft camp in 2005, Tom Rischbieth scored 15.08, beating the record of Sydney's Jarrad McVeigh 15.06 which he scored in 2002, and Sydney teammate David Spriggs 15.06 from the 1999 draft camp.

Athletics / Track & Field

Champion and world record middle distance runner Sebastian Coe supposedly got to level 17 when at his prime.

Soccer / Football

Swedish football player Håkan Mild (IFK Gothenburg) had been rumored to have completed the test, but in a recent radio interview he set the record straight - he did a 19/2. That's about the best ever. (interview on swedish radiosporten, Jan 09).
Young potential star Nicholas Condylis, moved from Australia to play for Panathinaikos club in Greece two years ago at age 15. He was recorded a 17.1 in the beep test, which puts him up there with the international standard. (St George News, Feb 08).
The Indian Soccer squad has an average beep test score of 11.7, with Steven Dias as the best. The article reported that the world standard for soccer players is is 13.09, (as reported by the Hindustan Times online, July 2007).
Australian Brett Emerton, playing in the English Premier League for Blackburn Rovers, scored a level 15 a the beep test just before the World Cup (Vitalfootball.co.uk, June 2007) .
Casey Stoney, the Charlton women's football team captain, who is also an instructor in a gym, reached level 13. The rest of the English World Cup squad dropped out between eight and 12 (Timesonline.com, June 2007).
An article in the Independent.ie reported that Dublin player Wes Hoolahan has beaten the test twice (May 07).
David Beckham has reputedly completed the test, which seems like a bit of hype. Another source I found said he has reached level 16, which seems more believable.
Australian player Nick Carle reached level 13.1 (March 07)
Brazilian import for the Melbourne Victory team, Fred, is the fittest player in the squad, recording a level of 16 when he did the beep test (Jan 07).
English Premier League player Lee Gong Dook was reported to have reached level 17 (Jan 07).

Futsal

From the British F30 Program, they believe that being able to reach beyond level 11 is an absolute minimum to play the game effectively, but the player must have capabilities beyond level 13 to play internationally (retrieved March 2007).

Motorcycling

Athletes from the motorcycling sports of Road Racing, Dirt Track and Speedway participated in the 2008 Elite Rider Camp at the Australian Institute of Sport. For the beep test component, Blake Leigh-Smith took the honors reaching level 14.2. (Motorcycling Australia website, Sept 2008)

Female Sport

The South Australian Under 15 hockey team coach expects all team members to all be at or above level 11.5 (as reported in the Yorke Peninsula Country Times, Sept 2008).
Fiona Johnson was one of the two fittest players in the Australian Hockeyroos squad (Field Hockey), having achieved an exceptional 14 in the beep test (reported in the Australian Online, Aug 08).
England's football Women's World Cup squad: Casey Stoney has got up to level 13, with the rest of the squad dropping out between level eight and 12 (as reported on thefa.com in June 2007).
For females, the UK National Women's Rugby seven a side to Hong Kong spring 2001 averaged over 11 with a range from 9 to 12.
Of the New Zealand female Field Hockey team (the Black Sticks), Muirhead and Weavers are the only females to have reached level 15. In March 2007.
The Oregon University women's basketball team record is by New Zealander Micaela Cocks, who scored level 14 in 2007.

Netball

New Zealand and Tactix netball captain Julie Seymour and can pop out three kids and still run level 14 on the beep test (as reported in the Otago Daily Times, May 2009). Also reported in stuff.co.uk, she has the best beep test in the whole Ferns group.
New Zealand standards require national standard netball umpire to be at 7-8 on the beep test. To get to international level you have to be at level 9 (from dompost website, May 2008).

Squash

It has been reported that the extremely fit and two-time world squash champion Australian David Palmer has completed the beep test five times back-to-back. (Stuff.co.nz, April 2009). His coach makes him perform the test multiple times in training, though he was quoted as saying that he tries to "get close to 16 on the first one and then it drops down but I try to finish at 12 or 13" (article on Sydney Cricket Ground Trust website).

Celebrities

On the 'Biggest Loser' show in Australia (Episode 27: Raw or straw), shown on 3 March 2009, the contestants did a multi-stage fitness or “beep” test. The results of this was combined with other medical tests to calculate their biological age – their body's age based on lifestyle choices, as opposed to their chronological age. The actual beep test results are unknown, though the announcement of "level 5.4" was heard, with all of them getting past that milestone.

Beep Test World Record!

In November 2008, the Courier (Ballarat, Victoria Australia) reported that students of the Ballarat & Clarendon College middle school had attempted the world record for the most number of participants in a beep test, with 412 students and staff. The best score was by year 7 student Stuart McSweyn, who lasted to level 13.2. The school believed a world record for a mass beep test had not previously been attempted, and they have submitted a video of the event to the Guinness World Records.

other Fitness Test Results
Maximizing Your Score - to get the most out of the beep test.
References for the beep test
Test Procedure - Detailed instructions for conducting the beep test. Also video examples.
Calculating Your Score - calculator to determine your VO2max equivalent score
Purchasing the cd
calibrating you beep test tape
Beep Shuttle Listing - a listing of the number of runs for each level