NEW YORK (AP) - In a gut-busting showdown that combined drama, daring and indigestion, San Jose's Joey Chestnut emerged yesterday as the world's hot dog eating champion.
He knocked off six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi in a rousing yet repulsive triumph in front of a screaming crowd outside Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs in New York's Coney Island.
Chestnut, the great red, white and blue hope in the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by inhaling 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. That's one about every eleven seconds.
Kobayashi, the Japanese eating machine, recently had a wisdom tooth extracted and was treated for a sore jaw. But he matched Chestnut frank-for-frank until the very end of the 12-minute competition for a personal best of 63 hot dogs and buns.
Afterwards, the soft-spoken Chestnut said the sport of competitive eating really has Kobayashi to thank for its recent success. He says records are meant to be broken, and someday, some young person will likely come along and unseat him as the new hot dog eating champion of the world.
Joey Chestnut talks about his sport
Chestnut Wins Hot Dog Eating Championship
E-Mail Story
Print Story
DW.pageParams = {
siteId: '255'
};
DW.clear();
DW.trackClicks();
