NEW YORK CITY, NY
Joey Chestnut kept his streak alive this 4th of July by winning his eighth consecutive hot dog eating championship. Chestnut managed to consume 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes to edge out Matt Stonie at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island.
"I could never find my rhythm, so it was just a dogfight the whole time," said Chestnut, who won last year with a record 69 franks and buns.
For Chestnut, winning the contest is not the only highlight of the day. ESPN reports that right before the challenge, Chestnut dropped to his knee on the event stage and proposed to longtime girlfriend and fellow competitive eater Neslie Ricasa, who said yes.
In the womans’ competition, a new champion was crowned as Miki Sudo shocked three-time defending champion Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas by eating 34 franks and buns in 10 minutes, according to ESPN.
“There’s something about eating against other people that’s kind of a mass appeal on its own,” Sudo said. “But to do it against other people in a short amount of time for me was really daunting.”
The Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest is like the Super Bowl of Major League Eating. Roughly 35,000 people come to the boardwalk in Brooklyn to watch, according to Forbes.
“Hot dogs on the Fourth of July in America – and you tell me, what’s better?” asked George Shea, CEO of Major League Eating.
Forbes reports that Chestnut participates in roughly 25 eating contests every year, and, according to Shea, earns $200,000-plus in event purses, appearance fees and other sponsorships.
Congratulations Joey and Miki on the wins, and congratulations Joey and Neslie on the engagement!
