Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago won his first men’s title at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest by consuming 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The reigning champion, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, did not attend the event due to a sponsorship issue and instead competed against soldiers at a U.S. Army base in El Paso.
Defending women’s champion Miki Sudo won her 10th title by eating 51 hot dogs in 10 minutes, setting a new world record for women. Sudo defeated competitors, including rival Mayoi Ebihara of Japan, who came in second. Participants also included individuals from various states and countries around the world.
Despite Chestnut’s absence, thousands of fans still attended the event in Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Major League Eating CEO, Rich Shea, highlighted the excitement surrounding the competition and the diverse pool of contestants.
Last year, Chestnut set a record by eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. He was initially disinvited from the event due to a sponsorship deal but later reinstated. Chestnut decided to spend the holiday with troops at Fort Bliss army base in El Paso, competing against four soldiers in a traditional hot dog eating contest.
Even though Chestnut did not compete at Nathan’s Famous contest this year, the event continued to draw a large crowd and featured impressive performances from winners like Bertoletti and Sudo.
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