Matt Stonie (front), men's champion of 2015, is pictured during the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island of New York, the United States, on July 4, 2019. Joey Chestnut defended his men's championship title Thursday by devouring 71 hot dogs in 10 minutes at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York. Miki Sudo defended the women's title by eating 31 hot dogs in 10 minutes. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
NEW YORK, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Reigning champions of New York City's annual Fourth of July hotdog eating contest defended their titles before thousands of spectators on Thursday.
Joey Chestnut, 35, swallowed down 71 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, 21 pieces more than the runner-up. He took home the trophy in the men's competition for the 12th time in the last 13 years.
On the women's side, Miki Sudo, 33, won her sixth consecutive women's title by eating 31 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
The annual Nathan's Hotdog Eating Competition, which took place at Coney Island in New York City's borough of Brooklyn, has been a major attraction on the Independence Day in the city and beyond since its inauguration in 1972.
Both Chestnut and Sudo fell short of their feats last year, when Chestnut set a new world record by devouring 74 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes and Sudo ate 37.
They will each take home 10,000 U.S. dollars.
