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ITN
Hotdog 'chompion' crowned
Hotdog 'chompion' crowned
A man devoured a record 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes to win the annual July 4 Coney Island hotdog eating competition in New York.Joey Chestnut, 23, from California, beat the six-time champion, Takeru Kobayashi from Japan, in a photo finish.The 28-year-old defending champion went into the competition with a jaw injury but still managed to down 63 dogs.Mr Chestnut beat the world record he set in qualifying earlier this year of 59 1/2 dogs.The two were neck-and-neck in the final minute until Mr Kobayashi appeared to suffer what a TV sports commentator euphemistically called a "reversal".Judges reviewed the plates of scraps and declared Mr Chestnut the winner with 66. The third place eater trailed way behind with 49.Mr Chestnut said: "For the past six years Kobayashi has dominated. In year seven he just couldn't cut it."It just feels awesome. For a long time the belt has been going away to Japan but this year it's staying here."Competitive eating is a popular pastime in the US, particularly at holidays.The country has the highest prevalence of obesity among developed countries, at about one-third of the adult population - that is about 60 million obese adults.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
ITN | July 5, 2007
