Joey the chestnut wolf fell down 62 Hot Dogs and Buns Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest 10 minutes to win the men’s competition for the 16th time on Tuesday. The champion eater, nicknamed “Jazz,” is more than capable of eating 76 hot dogs and buns, a record he set at the 2021 Independence Day event.
The men’s race was delayed by nearly two hours after a thunderstorm hit Coney Island, New York, Tuesday afternoon. Asked about the lighting strikes at Coney Island, the New York Fire Department told CBS News that one person was injured and taken to the hospital after being electrocuted.
Asked about the weather delay after the win, Chestnut said it was “emotionally a roller coaster” and that “everyone was confused” by the wait.
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He hoped to break his 2021 record, but instead fell just shy of 63 hot dogs and buns. Swallowed last year. “It didn’t come together,” he said, but he still felt good.
“I’ve got room left, so I’m going to have some beers,” Chestnut said.
In securing his eighth straight win, Chestnut consumed one Estimated 18,600 calories. As for his Fourth of July dinner? “Tonight is liquid food,” he said.
Chestnut, 39, won by 14 hot dogs and buns. Jeffrey Esper, 48, finished second with a 49, while James Webb, 34, finished with a 47.
Earlier in the day, Miki Sudo put down 39.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the women’s event for the ninth time. Sudo fell short of breaking his own record of 48.5 hot dogs and buns, which he set at the Independence Day event in 2020.
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Sudo, 37, faced stiff competition from 27-year-old Mayoi Ebihara, who finished second after eating 33.5 hot dogs and buns. Michelle Lesko, 39, finished third in 24.25 eating hot dogs and buns.
After Sudo won, she said that her final tally was not a whole number because of the bread, which neither she nor Lesko thought was theirs. Officials eventually decided it was Sudo’s.
“I want people to know that I wouldn’t have left a half hot dog on the table,” he said.
Sudo and Ebihara appeared to finish very close at the end of the livestreamed match, with the unofficial results separating them by 1. Sudo said Ebihara’s diet caught his eye during the event. “I was looking at her and I never wanted to do that,” he said.
As the judges tallied the official results, they chatted, shook hands and hugged each other before Sudo was declared the winner out of 15 women.
Last year, Sudo polished off 40 hot dogs and buns to win the contest.
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