Miki Sudo Claims 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Title In Close Women's Race
If you've been following Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs Hot Dog Eating Contest for the past decade or so (and if you haven't been, you're missing out), then you might not be too surprised to hear who won the women's title for 2023. For the ninth time since 2014, competitive eater Miki Sudo beat the competition, scarfing down 39.5 hot dogs in buns in just 10 minutes (via NY Post).
At first, the competition was close, with Mayoi Ebihara closing in on Sudo. However, CNN reports that after a review, it was clear that Sudo was the winner, beating Ebihara' (33.5 hot dogs) and third-place winner Michelle Lesco (24.5 dogs). Believe it or not, 39.5 hot dogs isn't a big deal for Sudo. Last year, she won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest with 40 dogs, and in 2020 she consumed 48.5 hot dogs at a Fourth of July event. It's no surprise that Sudo is considered the top female competitive eater in the world, ranked No. 3 overall. However, Sudo isn't the only competitive eater in her household.
Miki Sudo and Nick Wehry
How committed is Miki Sudo to competitive eating? Well, not only has she competed in and won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest nine times, but she's married to a competitive eater, too. Her husband, Nick Wehry, is ranked the No. 4 competitive eater in the world and is competing in Nathan's men's division this year. That's no coincidence, though. The two met at their hotel gym the morning before competing in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2018.
However, Wehry is up against some very tough competition, namely multiple record-holder Joey Chestnut. While Wehry's personal best is 44 hot dogs and buns eaten, Joey Chestnut's is at 76 (via ESPN). Chestnut has also won the competition 15 times, and no one else's hot dog-eating personal best even comes close to his. Still, it's all relative, and there's no denying that if Miki Sudo and Nick Wehry are coming to the barbecue, you're going to need to make a Costco run to pick up enough hot dogs to keep them satisfied!