San Jose’s Joey “Jaws” Chestnut slammed down a jaw-dropping 71 hot dogs in 10 minutes, winning the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York Thursday, the company tweeted.
The San Jose resident grabbed, gulped and gobbled his way to the so-called Mustard Belt title at the Thursday morning Coney Island event, which dates all the way back to 1916. This is the 12th win for the San Jose resident.
After the win, an overjoyed (and perhaps overheated) George Shea, president of Major League Eating, shouted:
“There is no overstating how dominant Joey has been. Look on his works, ye mighty, and despair.”
Shea’s organization oversees eating competitions internationally.
Striking, or at least biting, a blow for women’s equality, Miki Sudo, also a returning champion, knocked back 31 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. This is the sixth time Sudo has won the women’s part of the contest. Chestnut is a former construction manager and 2013 college graduate. He grabbed extra attention in 2014 for not only winning the contest, but by proposing to his girlfriend Neslie Ricasa, who competed in the women’s division that year.
Sadly, the two split up before the wedding took place. Perhaps the couple bit off more than they could chew.
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