Hot Dog Eating Contest Held Since 1972
Top Winner Absent from This Year's Event
A new champion has emerged at this year's international 'Hot Dog Eating' competition held in the United States.
On the 4th (local time), the New York Times (NYT) and others reported that Patrick Bertoletti (26), who resides in Chicago, won the men's division at the 'Nathan's International Hot Dog Eating Contest' held in New York. Bertoletti ate an astonishing 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes during this competition.
Hosted by an American sausage company, this competition has been held annually at Coney Island amusement park in New York on Independence Day since 1972. It is said that the origin of the contest dates back to 1916 when four immigrants gathered here on Independence Day to eat hot dogs as a display of patriotism.
This year's winner of the American hot dog eating contest, Patrick Bertoletti. Photo by AP Yonhap News
This year's contest drew even more attention as Joey Chestnut (40), a famous food fighter nicknamed 'Jaws,' was unable to participate due to a dispute with the organizers. Chestnut has won the championship 16 times in total at this contest since his first victory in 2007. The only year he lost first place during this period was 2015. In 2021, he made headlines by eating 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes.
After signing a partnership agreement last month with 'Impossible Foods,' a company that makes vegan hot dogs, Chestnut had conflicts with Nathan's, and the organizers banned his participation citing competition rules. Instead of competing this year, Chestnut announced he would attend a charity event held at a military base in Texas and broadcast his hot dog eating live.
Meanwhile, in the women's division, Miki Sudo set a new women's record by eating 51 hot dogs and won the championship this year. Sudo previously won the women's division in 2020 by eating 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
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