Miki Sudo poses with the championship belt, after winning the women’s division at the 2020 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday.
Sudo, 34, set a new record by chowing down 48 and a half hot dogs to win her seventh title, the most by any female competitor. With this year’s victory, she passed Takeru Kobayashi, who won six Nathan’s contests.
After the win, Sudo said she disliked the safer format of this year’s contest, but appreciated the encouragement from crews on hand and even some of her fellow competitors.
Traditionally held on Coney Island, this year’s contest was held without spectators and with barriers between contestants, due to coronavirus precautions. Also for the first time in the history of the event, betting was allowed.
In the men’s division, Joey Chestnut gobbled down 75 weiners and buns in 10 minutes to win his 13th title.
“I knew I was fast at the beginning,” Chestnut afterwards. “The dogs were cooked really well today. At minute 6 is where I missed the crowd. I hit a wall. It took a little more work to get through it.”
Both Chestnut and Sudo are familiar faces at the gyoza-eating competition held during Nisei Week in Little Tokyo.