Coney island: Joey Chestnut successfully defended his Independence Day (July 4th) hot dog eating championship, albeit with a smaller record than last year, amidst scorching New York heat.
According to Thai News Agency, it's a tradition during the US Independence Day celebrations on July 4th to hold the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, with the 2026 event taking place on Coney Island, New York. The weather was scorching hot with a 38-degree Celsius midday temperature and high humidity, causing the buns to become chewy and difficult to eat. Joey Chestnut, a famous American competitive eater, was a strong contender every year, and this year was no exception. He secured his 18th Independence Day hot dog eating championship title by consuming 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes, fewer than last year's 70.5. Patrick Bertoletti, the 2024 champion, took second place with 51 hot dogs.
Chestnut said the extreme heat made the bread so chewy that he couldn't eat more than last year's record or his personal best of 76 hot dogs, which he set in 2021. The intense heat affected Chestnut and many other competitors' ability to eat hot dogs. At times, sweat could be seen dripping from Chestnut's forehead and down to his nose while he was eating a hot dog.
In the women's competition, Miki Sudo won the championship, eating a total of 38 and 3/4 pieces in 10 minutes. This secures her 12th championship title and maintains her undefeated record as a women's champion in the competition.