Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and Miki Sudo won the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Nathan’s Famous in a show of incredible eating prowess.
Despite the weather delay that may have dampened their enthusiasm, Chestnut ate an incredible 62 hot dogs and buns, while Sudo came in second with 39 1/2.
At this annual Coney Island competition, competitive eaters from all around the globe displayed their prodigious skills, but Chestnut and Sudo stood out as the absolute devouring dynamos.
Let’s get down to the juicy specifics of their amazing performances that had people gasping and begging for more.
Rain Delays and Triumphs
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, an eating sensation, won the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at the famous Nathan’s restaurant for the second year in a row.
A rain delay didn’t stop Chestnut from eating an incredible 62 hot dogs and buns in only 10 minutes, easily beating away his nearest opponent, Geoffrey Esper of Oxford, Massachusetts, who ate 49.
Unyielding Dominance
With this win, Chestnut has secured his status as the uncontested hot dog eating champion, racking up an incredible 16 titles to date. The worldwide field of 15 competitive eaters is in amazement after he bested them all by tens of thousands of points.
The 39-year-old from Westfield, Indiana has held the Nathan’s championship since 2015, demonstrating a level of domination in competitive eating that is unprecedented.
A Stormy Obstacle
The men’s tournament was delayed by two hours because of severe rain that hit New York City’s famous Coney Island just before it was set to begin.
Chestnut, overwhelmed by his feelings, endured the rain while worrying about whether or not the renowned tournament would go on. Even when his feelings reached a fever pitch, the resolve in his eyes never wavered.
A Record Unattainable
Chestnut set a new record of 76 hot dogs consumed in 2021, but the bad weather on Tuesday prevented him from breaking his own record.
The storm threw off the contestants’ normal routines and presented them with new difficulties.
Sudo Reigns Supreme in the Women’s Contest
Women’s reigning champion Miki Sudo again showed her extraordinary eating skills. She downed 39 1/2 hot dogs and buns with incredible resolve, earning her seventh straight Mustard Belt in the process.
Sudo was in a tight race for most of the tournament with Mayoi Ebihara, who is 27 years her senior, and unexpected developments occurred along the way to her eventual win.
The live scoreboard had the crowd on the edge of their seats until the final plate count decided the winner.
Disappointment and Resilience
Despite her victory, Sudo wasn’t happy with her score since it was nine hot dogs short of her previous best. She said that she was thrown off by the skilled Ebihara’s fierce rivalry.
During the first few minutes of the match, Sudo did something she almost never does: she watched her opponent. Despite the temporary setback presented by a big burp, she was able to refocus and adjust her path.
An International Showcase of Skill
In the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, competitors from as far afield as the United Kingdom, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, and Australia showed off their impressive eating prowess. The event showcased the varied skills and global appeal of competitive eaters.
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and Miki Sudo triumphed in front of applauding crowds and the smell of sizzling hot dogs on Coney Island, forever writing their names into the annals of competitive eating history. Their astounding displays inspired amazement in bystanders and raised the standard for any future competitors.
They personify the essence of this distinctively American custom, mesmerizing spectators with their voracious appetites and unflinching commitment as they devour massive quantities of hot dogs in a short period of time.