Miki Sudo claims victory in Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut prepares for men’s competition

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — Top-ranked eaters from across the globe, including reigning hot dog eating champion and 14-time winner Joey Chestnut, were taking part in Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest.

It’s all part of a busy holiday weekend for Coney Island.

Miki Sudo, the number-one-ranked female was the odds-on favorite to win the women’s competition, and she did just that. She was up by 10 hot dogs early in the competition and clinched the win with a staggering 40 hot dogs.

Chestnut currently holds the world record of eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, and he’s looking for a 15th victory and a new world record.

The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Championship was being held at the iconic Nathan’s Famous flagship restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island.

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Tens of thousands attended the contest.

According to Major League Eating archives, the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Championship has occurred each July 4tin Coney Island since 1916, the year Nathan Handwerker opened the legendary restaurant.

What to know about the biggest day in stomach-centric sports, according to Nathan’s Famous:

• Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held in Coney Island every 4th of July since 1916, the year Nathan Handwerker opened the legendary restaurant, according to Major League Eating archives. Irish immigrant Jim Mullen won with 13 hot dogs and buns.
• Winning his 14th title, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut set a new record in 2021 after eating 76 hot dogs and buns in the 10-minute contest.
• Chestnut, of San Jose, California, won his first title in 2007 after downing 66 “HDBs,” dethroning Japan’s Takeru Kobayashi.
• Miki Sudo, the number-one-ranked woman in the hot dog-eating world, set the women’s record in 2020 with 48 hot dogs and buns. She missed the contest the following year due to her pregnancy.
• Winners are crowned with the coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt, its age unknown.
• The 1920s saw alternating victories between Queens’ Stan Libnitz and Brooklyn’s Andrew Rudman until 1928 when Rudman won by half a frank. Libnitz allegedly accused Rudman of elbowing him in the stomach during their face-off, according to Nathan’s, citing oral accounts.
• The event was canceled in 1941 in protest of World War II.
• In 2004, Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas became the first woman to eat more than 30 dogs and buns.
• Nathan’s Famous donates 100,000 hot dogs to the Food Bank for New York City prior to each year’s event.

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