Miki Sudo Sweeps Women's Category In 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

Late this morning on July 4, 2023, the returning women's champion of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Miki Sudo, 37, won this year's competition by eating 39 ½ hot dogs and buns. Mayoi Ebihara, 27, and Michelle Lesco, 39, finished in second and third place with 33 ½ and 24 and ¼ hot dogs, respectively.

Sudo, who managed to put away the staggering amount of food in 10 minutes at the hot dog eating contest, unfortunately, could not break her personal best and the women's world record of 48 ½ hot dogs, which she achieved at the annual Independence Day competition in 2020. Nevertheless, the newest win marks Sudo's ninth victory in the contest and follows her triumphant return to the games last year. She sat out 2021's competition due to being pregnant with her son, Max, which may have led to Lesco taking first place that year with 30 ¾ hot dogs.

With approximately 35,000 fans in attendance on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues at Coney Island in New York and millions of potential viewers watching on the ESPN app, Sudo beat out 14 other women to take the sought-after Mustard Belt, which also accompanies a $10,000 grand prize and the title.

The judges initially thought Sudo only ate 37 hot dogs — one more than Ebihara, who overall kept pace with the champion — and a belt buster round was considered. After an official recount, the actual tally was determined, with Sudo eating six more than Ebihara's final 33  ½ hot dogs and buns.

Despite Sudo, who is from Port Richey, Florida, being considered the top female champion of all time and holding another world record for eating six hot dogs in one minute, she offered the crowd an apology for the results: "39 is a low number I'm sorry you guys!" Sudo stated. "I would not have left a partial dog on the table."