Competitors ready for Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

Joey Chestnut wolfed down 62 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the men's competition of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest for the 16th time Tuesday. The champion eater whose nickname is "Jaws" fell short of the record 76 hot dogs and buns that he set at the Independence Day event in 2021.

The men's competition was delayed for nearly two hours Tuesday afternoon on New York's Coney Island after thunderstorms hit the area. Asked about lighting strikes on Coney Island, the New York Fire Department told CBS News a person was hurt in an electrocution incident and was taken to a hospital.

Asked about the weather delay after the win, Chestnut said it was "a roller coaster, emotionally," and that "everybody got messed up" by the wait.

He was hoping to break his 2021 record but instead came just shy of the 63 hot dogs and buns he gulped down last year. "It didn't come together," he said, but he still felt great.

"I got leftover room, so I'm going to be having some beers later," Chestnut said.

In securing his eighth straight win, Chestnut consumed an estimated 18,600 calories. As for his July Fourth dinner? "It's a liquid diet tonight," he said.

Chestnut, 39, won by a margin of 13 hot dogs and buns. Geoffrey Esper, 48, gobbled down 49 to come in second place, and James Webb, 34, finished off 47.

Earlier in the day, Miki Sudo put away 39.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to win the women's competition for the ninth time. Sudo fell short of breaking her own record of 48.5 hot dogs and buns, which she set at the Independence Day event in 2020.

Sudo, 37, faced stiff competition from Mayoi Ebihara, 27, who devoured 33.5 hot dogs and buns to finish in second place. Michelle Lesco, 39, finished in third place after eating 24.25 hot dogs and buns.

After Sudo won, she said her final tally wasn't a whole number because of a bun neither she nor Lesco thought was theirs. Officials ultimately decided it was Sudo's.

"I just want people to know that I would not have left a partial hot dog on the table," she said.

Sudo and Ebihara seemed to have finished much closer at the end of the livestreamed competition with unofficial results separating them by 1. Sudo said Ebihara's eating style caught her eye during the event. "I found myself watching her, which I never want to do," she said.

As judges were tallying the official results, they chatted with each other, shook hands and hugged before Sudo was declared the winner out of 15 women.

Last year, Sudo polished off 40 hot dogs and buns to win the contest.

In:
• Contest
• 4th of July
• July 4th

Alex Sundby

Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com

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