Joey Chestnut shocked the competitive-eating community on Friday when he hobbled into Hudson Yards in New York City on crutches during the official weigh-in.
Joey Chestnut shocked the competitive-eating community on Friday when he hobbled into Hudson Yards in New York City on crutches during the official weigh-in before the 2022 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest — a “I’m gonna eat like a madman,” the world’s top-ranked eater told Fox News Digital before weighing in at 235 pounds. “It’s all right. I’ll be able to stand up and eat. I’m excited.”
The 14-time Nathan’s Famous champion sported a black cast below his right knee and walked with crutches under each arm. Chestnut, 38, of Indiana, broke his own world record last year by consuming an incredible 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes at the 2021 Joey Chestnut did not give detail as to why he was on crutches for the weigh-in.
Lesco missed the scaled-back 2020 competition — held indoors that year without spectators — because of pandemic travel restrictions. Sudo, the world’s top-ranked female eater, could not compete last year because she was pregnant with Max, whose father is the no. 3-ranked men’s competitor Nick Wehry. “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten hot dogs before a Coney Island crowd.”The Independence Day competition returns on Monday to its traditional location at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues for the first time since 2019.