He's a proud Victorian, but dual Olympian Collis Birmingham is aiming to deliver West Australian fans something special on Saturday night when he competes at the Perth Track Classic.
The four-minute-mile barrier has been broken just four times in Perth, and only twice since Herbert Elliott and Merwyn Lincoln achieved the feat in 1958.
Birmingham has a personal best of 3:54.30 in the event, and has the chance to notch another sub-four-minute run when he competes on the new track at the WA Athletics Stadium.
But he'll face stiff competition to be the fastest on the night, with three of his rivals also boasting PBs below four minutes.
Kenyan James Magut, whose personal best is 3:50.68, looms as Birmingham's biggest threat, while Ireland's Paul Robinson and NSW's Cameron Page will also be hard to beat.
Magut has come from freezing temperatures in Europe, and might struggle to adapt to the forecast 34C in Perth on Saturday.
But despite the contrast in conditions, Magut is looking forward to competing.
"I've raced in Australia before, winning in Melbourne last year, so it is good to be back," he said.
"It's just great to get a chance to run the mile. I like the mile very much and I think everyone understands the significance of running it in under four minutes.
"The year is about the Commonwealth Games, and as a Kenyan I'm sure you can understand how tough it will be to make a distance-running event in our team.
"I want to do better than I have before but it is going to be a tough road with people like world champion Asbel Kiprop running alongside me."
Birmingham is coming off a big 2013 campaign in which he overcame freezing conditions in Poland to place eighth in the men's open 12-kilometre event at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
The 29-year-old also ran an Australian record in the men's half-marathon in 2013, and achieved a new personal best in a 10km road event.
The Perth Track Classic will also feature Olympic gold medalist Sally Pearson, sprinter Melissa Breen, long-jump silver medallist Mitchell Watt and world championship javelin silver medallist Kim Mickle.
