They’re red hot and ready.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champions Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo vowed at Monday’s weigh-in to break their own records when they chow down at Fourth of July’s famed contest.
Chestnut, the world’s top competitive eater, said despite the high temperatures and humidity forecast for competition day in Coney Island, he is aiming to shatter his already mind-boggling 76 hot dog record.
“I’m going to be sweating, it’s not going to be pretty, but I’m going to do whatever it takes to get those dogs down and break that record,” Chestnut said after weighing in at 225 pounds.
His optimism was shared by Miki Sudo, the women’s champ and the world’s number three competitive eater, who reclaimed her spot last year after taking a hiatus due to her pregnancy.
Sudo said that now that she’s back in top form, she hopes to not only beat last year’s best of 40 hot dogs, but also her own personal record of 48.
“Last year I was really disappointed with my own number, so let’s send that 40 out of the water, past my personal best of 48, and get it over 50,” she said to the cheering crowd after weighing in at 131 pounds.
Sudo was joined on stage by her toddler, Max, as well as her husband, Nick Wehry, who ranks just below his wife as a competitive eater and is taking on Chestnut tomorrow.
Along with Wehry, who weighed in at 185 pounds, Chestnut faces stiff competition from Japan’s number one eater, Max Suzuki, who arrived at Coney Island at only 165 pounds.
As for Sudo, she faces another showdown against Michelle Lesco, the woman the champ had to defeat last year to reclaim her top spot. Lesco arrived from Arizona weighing in at 110 pounds.
While the veterans face off against each other, Tokyo social media influencer and competitive eater greenhorn Mayo Ebihara, who weighed in at just 100lbs, is hoping to steal the championship from the US.
The competitors will reconvene on Coney Island Tuesday to kick off the hot dog eating contest in front of the iconic Nathan’s flagship restaurant.
The women’s competition will kick things off at 10:45 EST, with the men’s competition following at noon. Both events will be streamed on ESPN.
