On Thursday, a new world record was set at the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest. The defending champion, Miki Sudo from Florida, consumed 51 hot dogs in 10 minutes, marking her 10th total win. After her victory, Sudo expressed her happiness at claiming the title for another year.
Meanwhile, in the men’s division, Patrick Bertoletti secured the title by finishing 58 hot dogs and buns in a 10-minute span. This win is significant as it breaks a 16-year streak by Joey Chestnut, a legendary competitor in the contest who did not participate this year due to his sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods.
The Major League Eating organization shared a statement detailing the reasons for Chestnut’s ban, expressing their disappointment in his decision to work with a rival brand. Despite efforts to accommodate Chestnut by allowing him to compete in another contest, he opted to prioritize his new partnership over his long-standing relationship with MLE and Nathan’s.
Instead of competing in the hot dog eating contest, Chestnut secured a Netflix special that will feature a one-on-one match with his longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi. The special, titled Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, will stream live on Labor Day, marking the first time in 15 years that the two competitors will face off.
On the same day as these record-breaking events, Eric Badland chugged an entire gallon of lemonade in just 21 seconds during another impressive feat at Nathan’s annual competition.