Joey Chestnut devoured 63 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, extending his record to 15 career titles Monday in New York.
Chestnut, 38, chowed down at a far slower pace than last year, when he broke his record by eating 76 hot dogs and buns. He competed despite a leg injury that was causing him pain and led him to wear a protective boot.
He was still comfortably clear of Geoffrey Esper, the No. 2-ranked competitive eater in Major League Eating, who finished second with 47 1/2 dogs and buns.
A protestor charged the stage in the middle of the contest and Chestnut helped subdue the unwelcomed guest with a chokehold while continuing to eat.
Miki Sudo ate 40 dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the women’s championship for the eighth time in her career, a women’s record. Sudo returned to the competition after sitting out in 2021 because she was pregnant.
Michelle Lesco, the 2021 women’s champion, was a distant second at 26.
–Field Level Media