Fourth of July Men’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is won by Joey Chestnut with 62 hot dogs and buns

Joey is a coyote chestnut 62 hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes of winning Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on the Fourth of July, for the 16th time on Tuesday. The champion cannibal whose nickname is “Jaws” was one short of the record 76 hot dogs and buns he hit at an Independence Day celebration in 2021.

The men’s competition was delayed nearly two hours Tuesday afternoon in Coney Island, New York, after thunderstorms struck the area. Asked about the lighting strikes on Coney Island, the New York Fire Department told CBS News that one person was injured in an electrocution accident and was taken to hospital.

Asked about the weather delay after the win, Chestnut said it was a “roller coaster, emotionally”, and that “everyone was spoiled” by waiting.

He was hoping to break his 2021 record, but instead came just shy of 63 hot dogs and buns. Swallowed down last year. “They didn’t meet,” he said, but he still felt relieved.

“I got a room left, so I’ll have some beers later,” said Chestnut.

For his eighth straight win, Chestnut consumed a Estimated at 18,600 calories. As for his Fourth of July dinner? “It’s a liquid diet tonight,” he said.

Chestnut, 39, won by 14 hot dogs and buns. Jeffrey Esper, 48, dropped 49 to finish second, and James Webb, 34, is 47th.

Earlier today, Miki Sudo put down 39.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the women’s competition for the ninth time. Sudo failed to break its own record of 48.5 hot dogs and buns, which it set at an Independence Day event in 2020.

Sudou, 37, faced stiff competition from Mayui Ebihara, 27, who devoured 33.5 hot dogs and buns to finish second. Michelle Lesko, 39, took third place after eating a 24.25 hot dog and bagel.

After Sudou wins, she says her final tally wasn’t a whole number because of a cake that neither she nor Lesko think is theirs. The administrators eventually decided it was Sudou.

“I just want people to know I wouldn’t leave a partial hot dog on the table,” she said.

Sudo and Ebihara appeared to finish at the end of the live-streamed competition with unofficial results separating them by 1. Sudo said that Ebihara’s eating style caught her attention during the event. “I found myself watching it, which I never wanted to do,” she said.

As the judges tallied the official results, they chatted, shook hands and hugged before declaring Sudou the winner among 15 women.

Last year, Sudou polished 40 hot dogs and buns to win the competition.