American bests Japanese hot dog eating champion, sets record

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2007

NEW YORK (AFP) — A world-record eater ended the six-year reign of a Japanese champion Wednesday, after gobbling a whopping 66 weiners in a mere 12 minutes in the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest.

American Joey Chestnut ended Japan's Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayshi's remarkable streak to the cheers of a crowd of 50,000, according to police estimates.

Only Tuesday, Kobayashi was considering dropping out of the event after arthritis of the jaw and a pulled wisdom tooth left him in pain.

He rallied to try to defend his title, but came up short, shoveling in a still-remarkable 63 dogs.

The 70-kilo (154-pound) Kobayashi has caused a sensation by winning the contest six years in a row; last year by eating an astounding 53-3/4 hot dogs with buns and...