Joey Chestnut is the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest champion once again, munching down 61 hot dogs and buns to win his eighth straight title.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2014 results: Joey Chestnut wins 8th straight championship
An upset looked possible, but the champion reigned once again.
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Chestnut was aiming to break his own record of 69, but slowed significantly in the final three minutes after being on record pace for much of the contest. Ultimately there was only one competitor who stood a chance, with 22-year-old Matt Stonie making a big impact by staying bite-for-bite with the champion until the final minute. Stonie finished with 56 and was the runner-up for the second year in a row.
Joey Chestnut
It was a big day for Chestnut, who proposed to his girlfriend before the event, but had a poor showing by his high standards. He acknowledged that the weather slowed his pace while saying he was concerned with Stonie, who was nipping at his heels throughout the contest.
“I knew he was close, this kid was fast [...] I could never find my rhythm.”
It’s unclear how much longer Chestnut will compete, but the future of the contest looks bright -- especially if Stonie can take the next step in his competitive eating career.
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