Miki Sudo Wins Women’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Title

Saturday afternoon, the biggest Fourth of July tradition took place in New York. Competitive eaters faced off against each other during the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. There were several options available to take the title, but Miki Sudo ultimately ate her way to victory and captured her record-breaking seventh title.

Sudo quickly chomped her way to victory on Saturday afternoon, consuming 48.5 hot dogs in the allotted time. The closest competitor failed to reach 20 total. While some viewers focused on the fact that Sudo didn’t have to stress during the contest, others shifted their attention to the record. With her total of 48.5 hot dogs, Sudo broke the longstanding record of 45, which Sonya Thomas set in 2012.

Heading into Saturday’s competition, Sudo had a previous best of 41 hot dogs and buns consumed. Her initial goal was to secure the victory while passing Thomas in the record books, and she did both. Reaching 48.5 hot dogs was just a bonus.

While there are several top competitors in the female division, Sudo has staked her claim as the best eater around. She explained to the post-contest reporter that she found a way to train with her boyfriend, who also is a competitive eater. This strategy provided her with the ability to continue preparing for the Fourth of July tradition amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there were concerns about the annual contest getting canceled, officials found a way to keep the tradition alive. The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest left the traditional home at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues and headed to a private location. No fans attended the highly-anticipated event while officials put extra safety measures in place.

“We’re ecstatic to make the announcement that the Hot Dog-Eating Contest will take place this year,” said James Walker, Nathan’s Famous Senior Vice President, Restaurants. “2020 has been a year for the history books, and the realization that this storied July 4 tradition would be able to occur, is a great feeling. With that being said, our country and our world has endured so much in the last couple of months, that we’d be remiss if we didn’t use this moment to honor those that have done so much for each of us during this time.”