The traditional 4th of July 2026 event once again crowned Joey Chestnut as champion, marking his 18th achievement in the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
In an impressive performance, Chestnut consumed 66 hot dogs in just ten minutes, beating second place Patrick Bertoletti by a margin of 15 units. This victory represents his second consecutive triumph and 18th in the last two decades.
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The 42-year-old athlete demonstrated his dominance by winning the competition in his last ten appearances. However, his winning streak was briefly interrupted in 2024 when a sponsorship conflict with Impossible Foods prevented him from competing.
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After a year of suspension, Chestnut returned to the tournament in 2025, securing victory with 70.5 hot dogs. The competitor, a Kentucky native, expressed confidence in his performance ahead of the most recent event.
“Feeling good, I’m hungry and it’s a beautiful day. This is going to be a great Fourth of July,” Chestnut declared before the competition.
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Even after turning 40, Chestnut shows no signs of slowing down. His participation in the Hot Dog Eating Contest came just two months after he broke a world record at the Ultimate Bologna Showdown.
The entire Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest! pic.twitter.com/SuTN1nWsTz— ESPN (@espn) July 4, 2026
Joey Chestnut remains the ultimate reference in the world of global competitive eating. His 18 Nathan’s Competition trophies represent triple what any other man has achieved, with Takeru Kobayashi in second place, with six titles won between 2001 and 2006.
In the women’s category, Miki Sudo also defended her title, achieving her 33rd victory on the same day. She is the only other female athlete to have accumulated ten or more career triumphs.