Bay Area's Joey Chestnut competing for 15th hot dog eating championship on crutches
Joey Chestnut, from San Jose, will defend his world champion eating title. Photo via Instagram.
NEW YORK - The 14-time world hotdog eating champion will defend his title on crutches this year.
Bay Area native, Joey Chestnut, limped into the official weigh-in Friday for the 2022 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
The world's top ranked eater said he ruptured a tendon.
"I’m gonna eat like a madman," he said, weighing in at 235 pounds. "I’m not eating with my leg."
Chestnut posted on Instagram during Christmas, that he took a bad spill down a hill.
The 4th of July tradition on Coney Island draws thousands of spectators cheering on competitive eaters as they slam hot dogs and buns.
Chestnut, 38, of San Jose, broke his own world record last year by consuming an incredible 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes.
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He started his competitive eating career while he was a student at San Jose State.
The women’s division offers a highly anticipated grudge match of the gullet between 2021 champion Michelle Lesco and the dynastic Miki Sudo, who won seven straight titles from 2014 to 2021.