Miki Sudo reclaims her hot dog-eating crown

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Champ Miki Sudo on her way to downing 40 hot dogs in 19 minutes.

Miki Sudo reclaimed her crown as the top dog as the United States' hot dog eating champion.

The Japanese American won her eighth Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest yesterday on America's birthday.

Sudo, 36, didn't match her world record of 48 and one-half hot dogs that she set in 2020 but her 40 franks (with buns) in 10 minutes was enough win the annual contest leaving her nearest rival, Michelle Lesco, in the dust. 

Perennial champion Joey Chestnut won the men's contest, downing 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Since joining the contest in 2014, Las Vegas resident Sudo has never lost. She skipped last year because she was pregnant. She gave birth to her son, Max, days after last year's competition.

“I didn’t know how difficult it might be to compete after having a child,” Sudo told ESPN before the match. “Max is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and Nathan’s is second.”

Miki Sudo won her eighth Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest victory in nine years Monday, returning to the top of the dogpile after sitting out last year’s competition.

The 36-year-old, who sat out the 2021 Hot Dog Eating Contest because she was pregnant, scarfed down 40 dogs and buns — besting the nearest competition by 14.

Sudo led for the entirety of the 10-minute contest, crossing the 10-dog threshold at the minute-forty mark.

The 2021 winner Michelle Lesco came in second place Monday, finishing runner-up to her friend and former roommate for the fourth time.

Sudo, a native of New York City, first competed in the annual Fourth of July tradition in 2014 and has never lost.

She has been Major League Eating’s top-ranked female competitive eater since 2014.

She gave birth to her son Max just days after last year’s competition.

On Monday her husband and fellow competitive eater Nick Wehry foisted the 1-year-old above his head to cheer from the crowd as his wife accepted the contest’s mustard-yellow champion’s belt.

“I didn’t know how difficult it might be to compete after having a child,” Sudo said in a pre-recorded interview shown on ESPN before the match. “Max is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and Nathan’s is second.”  

In the women's division, Miki Sudo reclaimed her crown, finishing 40 hot dogs after missing last year's contest. She reclaimed the pink belt from Michelle Lesco, who ate 26 hot dogs, and Sarah Rodriguez finished third at 23.25.

While it may not have been a record-breaking day for the top eaters in the world, it was a dominant one all the same. The 2022 belt winners will, once again, be Chestnut and Sudo.

Japanese American keeps her title as hot-dog eating champion

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Mikie Sudo on her way to making a world record in eathing hot dogs.

Frankly speaking, I'm not sure how Miki Sudo did it. She set a world record by eating 48.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes for her seventh consecutive win in the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Sonya Thomas had held the record of 45 since 2013.

With her seventh title, the Japanese American competitive eater passed Takeru Kobayashi, who won six men's contests, and ranks second only to Joey Chestnut, who won the men's competition for the 13th time while breaking his own world record with 75 hot dogs.

Chestnut's biggest threat in recent years has been Matt Stonie, an Asian American from San Jose, CA, but he wasn't competing this year because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Unlike years past when the July 4th contest was held at the Coney Island Boardwalk with hundreds of cheering spectators, because of the coronavirus, the competition was held indoors with no fans in attendance.

TWITTER / MIKI SUDO

Women's hot dog eating champ Miki Sudo with her six championship belts before the annual contest.

The change of venue seemed to help both champions as they gulped their way to world records.

"I feel great," said 34-year old Sudo, who finished 32.5 hot dogs and buns ahead of her closest competitor Saturday. "I'm sure the physical effects will kick in in a little bit. I think the condensed preparation period really lit a fire under me."

Both Chestnut and Sudo won $10,000 in addition to their respective championship belts.

TGIF Feature: Frankly speaking, Miki Sudo is hard to beat in eating contest

Miki Sudo downs another hot dog enroute to winning the annual hot dog eating contest.

What's the 4th of July without Nathan's Famous July Fourth Hot Dog Eating contest? And what's the hot dog contest without Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo devouring the eating competition?

Once again, the pair defended their crowns at the annual event held at Nathan's on Coney Island.

Sudo, a 33-year-old Japanese American from Arizona, won her sixth straight hot dog eating contest, downing 31 of the franks. She didn't beat her record of 37 dogs that she ate last year but it was enough to beat her 

nearest competitor, who ate only 26.

Mikie Sudo when she's not eating competitively.

The 5 ft., 4-inch Sudo said she felt "wonderful" after walking off the stage.

Sudo also holds world records for eating kimchi (8.5 pounds in six minutes); ice cream (16.5 pints in six minutes) and wild rice hot dish (14 pounds in eight minutes), according to Major League Eating.

Chestnut, who is entering legendary status as an 11-time champion, ate 71 hotdogs to win the men's division.

Sudo and Chestnut earned $10,000 each and a championship belt the color of mustard (naturally) for their efforts.

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Miki Sudo wins hot dog eating contest; Matt Stonie loses to third

Miki Sudo, center, keeps her hot dog eating crown.

LAS VEGAS resident Miki Sudo, 31, held on to her title as top woman hot dog eater in Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest by downing 41 hot dogs in ten minutes.

The annual eating competition held every July 4th also saw Joey "Jaws" Chestnut set a new record for the championship match be gulping own 72 franks and buns. His chief rival, Asian/AMerican Matt Stonie, slipped to third with 46 hot dogs. Second place went to Carmen Cincotti, who ate 61 hot dogs.

For 126-pound Sudo, it was the 4th time the competitive eater has won the.Annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island in Brooklyn.

RELATED: Matt Stonie dethroned as top dog