For the 15th time in his career, Joey Chestnut has captured the Mustard Belt on Fourth of July weekend. Chestnut won the 2022 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest by eating 63 hot dogs and buns.
Geoffrey Esper finished in second place with 47½ hot dogs and buns while James Webb took home third place with 41 hot dogs and buns.
It also marked the first time since 2019 that the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is back at its traditional location on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Brooklyn.
With the 2022 title in tow, Chestnut has won 15 of the past 16 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contests dating back to 2007.
Three minutes into the contest, Chestnut ate 29 hot dogs and buns and raced out to a lead of eight over the likes of Geoffrey Esper and James Webb. Despite being hobbled with a leg injury, Chestnut maintained a double-digit lead throughout the final six minutes of the competition.
Chestnut might have been affected by the leg injury; he finished with his lowest total since 2015, when he downed 60 hot dogs and buns and finished in second place behind Matt Stonie.
On the women’s side, Miki Sudo won with 40 hot dogs and buns. It marked Sudo’s ninth consecutive Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest victory in contests in which she has competed. She missed the 2021 installment due to the birth of her son.
