On Thursday in Coney Island, a new world record was set as Joey Chestnut won his seventh Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in a row, the New York Daily News reports.
Chestnut, whose nickname is “Jaws,” ate 69 hot dogs in ten minutes, beating out his own previous record of 68. In second place was 21 year-old Matt “Megatoad” Stonie, who managed to eat only 51 hot dogs.
Chestnut said of his win, “I almost started crying for a second. I’m happy as heck! Things came together today. The hot dogs were really good. It wasn’t too hot.”
In the women’s contest, Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, won by eating 36 and three-quarters hot dogs, barely beating competitor Juliet Lee, who ate 36 hot dogs. Thomas wasn’t able to break her own previous record of 45 hot dogs.
Over 40,000 spectators gathered at Surf and Sitwell Avenue to watch the event. Spectator Lindsay Herzog, who has been in the audience for all seven of Chestnut’s wins, said “The first time I came here was Joey Chestnut’s first competition. I was hooked.”