Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2009: Joey Chestnut Beats Kobayashi

Joey Chestnut Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

Wolfing down an incredible 68 hot dogs, Joey Chestnut defeated Japan's Takeru Kobayashi at the 2009 edition of the Fourth of July Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

It was the third consecutive victory for Chestnut, and Kobayashi, the six-time champion, once again finished in second place. Last year, Chestnut and Kobayashi tied at 59 dogs in the 10-minute regulation time, and then Chestnut won in overtime. This year Kobayashi improved, eating 64 dogs, but he didn't improve as much as Chestnut did.

Chestnut, ever the perfectionist, said afterward that he wished he had done even better. Chestnut believed he could have eaten as many as 70 hot dogs if everything had gone right, but that he felt the buns were going down slowly this Fourth of July. But even if Chestnut wasn't satisfied, everyone watching must have been. This was a great athletic performance.

Nathans Hot Dog Contest

The Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest is held in Coney Island in New York, Saturday, July 4, 2009. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California won the 2009 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest, defeating former champion, Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

George Shea, center, of Major League Eaters, presents the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in Coney Island in New York, Saturday, July 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

The Coney Island Strong Man entertains the crowd at the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in New York, Saturday, July 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

NEW YORK - JULY 4: A crowd gathers before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest begins on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK - JULY 4: A costumed man entertains the crowd before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest begins on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK - JULY 4: A family eats hot dogs in front of an advertisement for the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, to undergo later that day, on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK - JULY 4: Chairman of Major League Eating George Shea (L) screams to the crowd as a woman dressed as a nun shoots a T-shirt into the crowd before the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest begins on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California defeated Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Shea

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NEW YORK - JULY 4: Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California (C) smiles while stuffing hot dogs into his mouth next to his opponent, Takeru Kobayashi of Nagano, Japan (R) during Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest on July 4, 2009 in Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Chestnut defeated Kobayashi with eating 68 to his 64.5 hotdogs. Kobayashi won six previous competitions before tying last year with Chestnut. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Takeru Kobayashi;Joey Chestnut

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-04-2009 @ 1:41PM

irwkrg3 said...

god bless joey chestnut an american finally winning the hot dog eating contest over the kobayashi 3 yrs in a row. let them try hotdog eating chicago style with all the fixings and no hot dog then the bun with water b.s.

7-04-2009 @ 2:14PM

John Howell said...

They're both lucky Barney Frank didn't enter the contest.

7-04-2009 @ 2:20PM

Mark said...

Great athletic performance? LOL

7-04-2009 @ 2:49PM

mikey said...

BBUUUUuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrpppppppppppppppppp.

7-04-2009 @ 3:42PM

Bob said...

Someday I'd love to hear a sensible explanation why hotdog-eating is covered in sports pages. Maybe that person can also enlighten us as to why people think card-playing is a sport, and deserves television time that could be used for legitimate contests of athletic skill.

7-04-2009 @ 4:29PM

fourklines said...

Television, in case you haven't noticed, and YOU HAVEN'T, is about what the people will watch. Right now more people are watching poker than ever before...so the television stations/networks are showing what people will watch. Understand. NO, of course its not a sport...but so what?

7-04-2009 @ 3:50PM

Jeff said...

Then again Bob, why the hell is Nascar called a sport, either? A bunch of overdressed wanna-be athletes who drive a lot.

7-04-2009 @ 4:19PM

I can understand that train of thought, Jeff--the car is doing a lot of the work, so what's athletic about it, right? For the same reason that distance running is a sport--it takes a lot of skill to maintain physical control over anything over a long period of time, especially when you have numerous forces working against you, as in a race car. There are many physical actions that go into a single lap, especially at racing speeds, with numerous other vehicles in close proximity, bumping, pushing, disturbing the aerodynamics and tire grip, etc.. Now try to do all those actions as well as possible over the course of a few hours, with the building mental pressure, and you may start to understand why people see racing as a sport, where the best-conditioned driver, both mentally and physically, has the best chance of success.

Hot dog eating is just that...eating.

7-04-2009 @ 4:25PM

Jonitia said...

I fell asleep as they were introducing the token eaters. Why can't they just be allowed to eat as many hot dogs say in ....30 minutes neatly rather than risking choking trying to eat them fast. Is it not the number of hot dogs you eat versus how fast you eat them? or have I missed something and it is a combination of the above.

7-04-2009 @ 4:27PM

blackphoenixinc said...

IT'S A GREAT WIN, BUT THEY'RE NOT ATHLETES, IT'S JUST EATING.

7-04-2009 @ 4:43PM

patriotark said...

Thousands ofchildren will go hungry today in the U.S. Then these guys cram water soaked buns and dogs down like a pack of wolves. Wake up Americans!

7-04-2009 @ 4:46PM

CinCydude61 said...

Chestnut/Kobayashi is the greatest rivalry in sports since Ali/Frazier. Joey Chestnut for Presdient!

7-04-2009 @ 5:06PM

kjhwk said...

Really!? I think a lot of you are taking this a bit too serious. Lighten up a little! It's supposed to be fun!

7-04-2009 @ 8:57PM

Robert Campbell said...

In some other countries, people are starving.

7-04-2009 @ 11:19PM

djk0614 said...

ALL I KNOW IS BOTH OF THESE GUYS ARE LUCKY BARNEY FRANK DIDN T ENTER THE CONTEST

7-04-2009 @ 11:21PM

Richard said...

the countrys that people are starving in are the countryes that idealize rats and cows and feed there grain to them instead of there starving childern thats what happens when you worship false gods and ideals you think there going to get fat ? they die . long live the hot dog king