On Thursday, the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest set a new world record. In the women’s division, Miki Sudo from Florida devoured 51 hot dogs in 10 minutes, marking her 10th win in a row. After her victory, she expressed her joy at retaining the title.
In the men’s division, Patrick Bertoletti emerged as the winner by finishing 58 hot dogs and buns in a 10-minute span. This achievement is particularly significant as it breaks a 16-year streak held by Joey Chestnut, a legendary competitor who did not participate this year due to being banned from the competition. Chestnut was banned because of his sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, which conflicted with his long-standing relationship with Major League Eating (MLE) and Nathan’s.
Despite efforts to accommodate Chestnut by allowing him to compete in another contest, he opted to prioritize his new partnership over his 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, Eric Badland set another record by chugging an entire gallon of lemonade in just 21 seconds. The crowd erupted into cheers as he celebrated his victory, adding another impressive feat to the day’s events.