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Joey Chestnut, Miki Sudo Defend Titles at Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

NEW YORK -- Joey "Jaws" Chestnut confronted 20 other men to win his 11th title at the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest Wednesday afternoon.

The renowned competitive eater from San Jose, California, chomped down a record 74 franks and buns, surpassing the previous mark of 72 dogs he downed last year.

 

Earlier, on the women's side, Las Vegas super eater Miki Sudo took top prize for the fifth year in a row, downing 37 hot dogs and buns. Sudo fell short of the 41 hot dogs she consumed last year.

Competitive Eaters Gorge At Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: Miki Sudo celebrates after winning the women's annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2018 in the Coney Island neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Sudo has won the contest 5 years in a row. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

The annual seaside competition was held amid stifling humidity.

The outlandish tradition dates to 1972, though the company has long promoted what a former president acknowledged was a legendary start date of 1916.

Fan Martha Pleasant, 41, of Franklin, New Jersey, said she was attending the competitive eating competition to support her husband Dwight, who "loves wieners."

 

Joey Chestnut wins the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, setting a new world record by eating 74 hot dogs  in Brooklyn, New York City
Joey Chestnut wins the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, setting a new world record by eating 74 hot dogs in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S., July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

 

"We are trying to knock something off my hubby's bucket list," she said.

 

Competitive Eaters Gorge At Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: A man covers his ears from noise as people attend the Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2018 in the Coney Island neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. In 2017 winner Joey Chestnut set a Coney Island record eating 72 hot dogs. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

 

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