Joey Chestnut sets world record, wins 13th title at Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest
Joey Chestnut is unstoppable. Chestnut once again dominated the men’s portion of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, eating a world record 75 hot dogs and winning the event for the 13th time.
Chestnut — who ate 71 hot dogs in 2019 — was considered the heavy favorite entering the event. He defeated second-place finisher Darron Breeden by over 30 hot dogs. During the event, Chestnut passed the 1,000 hot dog milestone. He’s now eaten 1,000 hot dogs during competitions.
Chestnut set a ridiculous pace early, consuming 12 hot dogs in the first minute. Chestnut slowed down in the middle of the competition. After the win, he said the lack of the crowd affected him around the six-minute mark. Chestnut, however, was able to find a second wind and push for the record as the competition came to a close. Chestnut beat his previous personal best — 74 hot dogs at the 2018 event — by just one dog.
While the event is usually held outside, the threat of spreading coronavirus pushed Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest inside in 2020. Competitors were introduced wearing masks, and were separated by plexiglass once the competition began. Music was piped in to give the competitors some extra motivation. The production crew cheered the eaters on. Chestnut credited the new venue as part of the reason he was able to set the record.
With the win, Chestnut extended his record number of titles at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. The next closest competitor to Chestnut’s title is Miki Sudo, who won her seventh straight women’s title Saturday. Sudo consumed 48 1/2 hot dogs, a woman’s record at the event.
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