Slide 1 of 17: Winners Joey Chestnut and Michelle Lesco, obscured behind hot dogs, pose at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
Slide 2 of 17: Competitive eating champion Joey "Jaws" Chestnut wins the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest with 76 hot dogs, breaking his personal best record of 75 at Coney Island on July 4, 2021 in New York City.
Slide 3 of 17: Fans cheer at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York.
Slide 4 of 17: The world's best men's eating athletes, including Joey Chestnut, center, compete in the 10-minute all-you-can-eat contest at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York.
Slide 5 of 17: Fans wait to catch T-shirts at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York.
Slide 6 of 17: Winner Michelle Lesco, center, competes in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in Brooklyn, New York.
Slide 7 of 17: Competitive eating champion Joey "Jaws" Chestnut wins the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest with 76 hot dogs breaking his personal best record of 75 at Coney Island on July 4, 2021 in New York City. The first Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest dates back to 1916, the year Nathan's Famous opened on Surf Avenue in Coney Island.
Slide 8 of 17: Competitive eating champion Michelle Lesco wins the women's 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest with 31 hot dogs at Coney Island on July 4, 2021 in New York City.
Slide 9 of 17: Competitive eater Gideon Oji participates in the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2021 in New York City.
Slide 10 of 17: Joey Chestnut takes a photo with a family at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York.
Slide 11 of 17: Eric Booker, center, reacts after chugging a gallon of Nathan's Lemonade at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York.
Slide 12 of 17: Competitive eating champion Michelle Lesco wins the women's 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest with 31 hot dogs at Coney Island on July 4, 2021 in New York City.
Slide 13 of 17: Fans attend the 10-minute, all-you-can-eat contest at the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island's Maimonides Park on Sunday, July 4, 2021, in New York.
Slide 14 of 17: Hot dogs are prepared for the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2021 in New York City. The first Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest dates back to 1916, the year Nathan's Famous opened on Surf Avenue on Coney Island.
Slide 15 of 17: Spectators wearing hot dog costumes walk on the boardwalk prior to the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2021 in New York City.
Slide 16 of 17: Trophies and belts for the contestants of the 2021 Nathans Famous 4th of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest sit on a table on July 4, 2021 in New York City. The first Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest dates back to 1916, the year Nathan's Famous opened on Surf Avenue on Coney Island. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775665212 ORIG FILE ID: 1233802291
Slide 17 of 17: NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: Judges of the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest take a walk on the boardwalk prior to the contest on July 4, 2021 in New York City. The first Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest dates back to 1916, the year Nathan's Famous opened on Surf Avenue on Coney Island. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775665212 ORIG FILE ID: 1233802357
Joey Chestnut won his 14th Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in dominant fashion on Sunday, devouring a new record 76 franks in 10 minutes to keep his mantle atop the sport.
“It just felt good,” Chestnut, of Westfield, Indiana, said in an ESPN interview after his win Sunday. “Even if I was uncomfortable, having everybody cheer me and push me, it made me feel good.”
Chestnut, who goes by "Jaws," put on another eating clinic to claim the Mustard Belt, out-eating second-place finisher Geoffrey Esper (50). Chesnut has now won 14 of the last 15 hot dog eating contests since taking down six-time defending champion Takeru Kobayashi in 2007, with his only loss in 2015 to Matt Stonie.
a man wearing a hat: Competitive eating champion Joey "Jaws" Chestnut wins the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest with 76 hot dogs, breaking his personal best record of 75 at Coney Island on July 4, 2021.
In his storied career at the annual Independence Day event, Chestnut has now eaten a record 1,089 hot dogs. On Sunday, Chestnut came out ready and was on record pace, downing 30 hot dogs in three minutes.
The annual Fourth of July frankfurter fest normally happens outside Nathan’s flagship shop in Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighborhood. But this year’s planning took place amid shifting coronavirus restrictions, and the event was held in a nearby minor league baseball stadium, Maimonides Park, with 5,000 spectators.
It's become a regularity for Chestnut to not necessarily battle himself, but his own world records from previous years' competitions.
“This is what I love. I love eating in front of people and they love pushing me,” Chestnut said on ESPN prior to the contest. “I’m just a guy that eats hot dogs and have fun. I’m just so happy to be doing this.”
Joey Chestnut standing in front of a tray of food: Competitive eater Joey Chestnut celebrates after setting what was a new world record with 75 hot dogs to win the men's division of the Nathan's Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest in July 2020. On Sunday, he ate 76.
On the women's side, Michelle Lesco won the competition with 30¾ hot dogs in 10 minutes. Reigning champion Miki Sudo sat out this year because she is pregnant.
Lesco, of Tucson, Arizona, called her win “an amazing feeling.”
Slide 1 of 11: Competitive eater Joey Chestnut holds the record for most hot dogs eaten at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at 76 in 2021. Have a look back at his other top performances.
Slide 2 of 11: 76 hot dogs eaten in 2021.
Slide 3 of 11: 75 in 2020.
Slide 4 of 11: 74 in 2018.
Slide 5 of 11: 71 in 2019.
Slide 6 of 11: 72 in 2017.
Slide 7 of 11: 70 in 2016.
Slide 8 of 11: 69 in 2013.
Slide 9 of 11: 68 in 2012.
Slide 10 of 11: 68 in 2009.
Slide 11 of 11: 66 in 2007.
Post a Comment