Nathan’s July 4 Contest: Miki Sudo Narrowly Defends Women’s Title
For most of America, the Fourth of July evokes thoughts of fireworks, family and cookouts. But hours before any of those things begin in earnest, many Americans will turn their attention to a curious spectacle that has become another holiday tradition: the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Each year on Independence Day, thousands of spectators, braving the heat and the effects of inexplicable fervor, descend upon an intersection in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn to watch an elite corps of competitive eaters consume as many hot dogs as humanly possible in 10 minutes.
The definition of humanly possible has one meaning for most of the meat-eating world; it has quite another for most of the contestants. That is especially true for the defending champions, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, who were back to defend their titles and possibly expand the notion of what is humanly possible.
Mr. Chestnut holds the men’s world record of 76 hot dogs and buns eaten in 10 minutes in 2021, while Ms. Sudo holds the women’s world record of 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Both were overwhelming betting favorites to win.
Source: The New York Times
