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Chinese Dark Horse To Challenge Chestnut At Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 20, 2011
Modified Jun 20, 2011
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Michael Bisberg
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jun 20, 2011
Modified Jun 20, 2011
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Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest returns to the Coney Island boardwalk on July 4th and though hot dog hero Takeru Kobayashi won't be there—the binging hero isn't even on the wall of fame anymore!—this year will include an interesting international addition to the feeding frenzy: Hong Kong-native Chris Lam, the first person to win the Chinese edition of the competitive eating event, is being flown in to participate. But if his showing in China is any indication, four-time champ Joey Chestnut won't have anything to worry about.
Chestnut, who was actually an honorary judge at the event in China, went and proved as much after the Chinese had finished their bout. In five minutes, half the regulation time, Chestnut downed 39 hot dogs. Lam, the Chinese winner, had only been able to eat 16 wieners in in ten minutes. "I thought I could eat a lot, but then I saw him," said second-place winner Lu Mingkui, who ate 13 dogs, told the Journal.
Lam will now be flown to Brooklyn for the July 4th festivities, in which his standing is well below his announced competitors. Last year Chestnut ate 54 dogs, down from his personal record of 68. Can't wait till the fourth to watch people overeat? The last contest before the finals takes place in Fishkill, New York, on June 25.
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4th of july
hot dog
joey chestnut
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Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
Garth Johnston
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