Joey Chestnut wins men’s hot dog eating contest after weather delay

Joey Chestnut picked up his 16th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest win on Tuesday at Coney Island in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, holding off James Webb and Geoffrey Esper in the men’s field.

Chestnut devoured 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

He set the record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes with 76 in 2021. He had 63 in last year’s contest.

Competitive eater Joey Chestnut holds a plate of hotdogs representing his world record for eating 76 hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes during a weigh-in ceremony before the Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest, Monday, July 3, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Chestnut got off to a hot start, eating five hot dogs and buns within the first 30 seconds. With 5 minutes remaining in the contest, Chestnut ate about 40 hot dogs and buns. At one point, he was eating nearly seven hot dogs per minute.

Esper finished in second place with 49 and Webb had 47.

The contest was delayed two hours due to storms moving through the area. It was first thought the event was going to be canceled but the competitors persevered and at the first sight of sun, they got out to the stage and started their journey one glizzy at a time.

Earlier in the day, Miki Sudo secured her ninth victory at the hot dog eating contest. She put down 39.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes and narrowly defeated Mayo Ebihara. The Japan native was only six hot dogs and buns behind Sudo with 33.

Competitive eaters Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo face off before the Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest, Monday, July 3, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

JOEY CHESTNUT BELIEVES PROTESTER AT LAST YEAR’S CONTEST COST HIM 5 HOT DOGS, MLE PRESIDENT SAYS

Sudo made her first appearance at the contest in 2014 and hasn’t lost since, according to the New York Post. She was only forced to take a year off in 2021 because of her pregnancy but she returned in 2022 and knocked off Michelle Lesco at the time.