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Matt Stonie Downs 62 Hot Dogs For Coney Island Title

Matt Stonie (right) is crowned winner of the annual Fourth of July Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, N.Y., Saturday. Stonie defeated eight-time champion Joey Chestnut 62-60.
Andrew Kelly
/
Reuters/Landov
Matt Stonie (right) is crowned winner of the annual Fourth of July Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, N.Y., Saturday. Stonie defeated eight-time champion Joey Chestnut 62-60.

Sixty-two dogs (and buns) after sitting down for the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Matt Stonie had snatched the title from "Jaws" Chestnut, the reigning eight-time champ, in a competition held each July 4 for nearly a century at New York's Coney Island.

Stonie finished second last year but says he'd been training hard for the rematch. Ultimately, he beat Chestnut by two hot dogs. Coincidentally, both men are from San Jose, Calif.

The Associated Press says: "Afterward, Stonie, holding his fist in the air in victory, said it felt amazing to win."

In the women's competition, Las Vegas native Miki Sudo ate 38 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to retain the title she won last year.

The prize is a $10,000 check — and presumably a bad case of indigestion.

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Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.