Independence Day: Joey Chestnut wins hot dog eating contest with 66 sausages in ten minutes

Record-setting competitive eater Joey Chestnut defended his title at the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, marking his 18th victory. On July 4th, Chestnut devoured 66 hot dogs and buns in the allotted 10 minutes, a feat that secured his win but fell short of his personal best.

Chestnut, who set the world record at 76 hot dogs in 2021, cited the intense heat and humidity at Coney Island as the primary reason for not breaking his own record. Temperatures reached up to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), which he believes affected both his performance and the texture of the hot dogs.

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I didn't want to make an excuse, but yes, it slowed me down.

"I didn't want to make an excuse, but yes, it slowed me down," Chestnut told ESPN, acknowledging the challenging conditions. Despite his personal disappointment in not reaching a new record, Chestnut's dominance in the sport remains undisputed as he proudly accepted the "Mustard Belt" for his latest triumph.

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I knew early on that I was going to win, but I also knew early on that I wasn't going to break my record.