New York - A diminutive Japanese man has retained the world hot dog eating championship, out-eating two much larger American adversaries at Nathan's hot dog eating contest in Coney Island.
Hirofumi Nakajima, who weighs just 135 pounds, wolfed down 19 wieners in 12 minutes to put the bite on Americans Ed Krachie and Hungry Charles Hardy, who both weigh in at well over 300 pounds.
The man, dubbed the Tokyo Terror, ate 19 hot dogs which were well short of the 24 1/2 he ate last year to set a world record. The 23-year-old relied on his method of separating the frankfurters from the buns _ first eating the meat in small bites and then soaking the bread in water, squeezing out the liquid and eating the soggy buns.
Hardy kept up with the Yamanashi salesman until dog No. 16, but forced down only 17 1/2 hotdogs, making him the American champ. Krachie, who changed his strategy part way through the contest from stuffing his face to slow and steady, with his 14 franks finished third.
Nakajima goes home with the Mustard Yellow International Belt for his win in the 81st annual Nathan's competition.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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