Frankfurter-munching phenomenon Joey “Jaws” Chestnut put a protester in a chokehold while gobbling his way to a 15th win on Monday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot-dog-eating contest, powering down 63 hot dogs and buns at the annual exhibition of excess.
In a decisive comeback, women's record-holder Miki Sudo downed 40 wieners and buns to win the women's title after skipping last year's frank fest because she was pregnant.
A spectator wearing a Darth Vader mask rushed the stage, momentarily disrupting the competition. Mr Chestnut put the protester in a brief chokehold before contest officials hurried over and escorted the intruder away.
Another protester in a white storm trooper mask had also snuck behind the competitors and hoisted a sign saying, “Expose Smithfield's Deathstar”. Smithfield Foods manufactures Nathan's famous hot dogs.
After the altercation, Mr Chestnut went back to the task at hand: devouring more hot dogs.
Monday marked the contest's return to its traditional location outside Nathan’s flagship shop in Brooklyn’s Coney Island neighbourhood. The event was relocated in 2020 and last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s beautiful to be back here” in front of a throng of spectators, Mr Chestnut told ESPN after his feat, which the 38-year-old managed while wearing a surgical boot because of a leg injury.
“It hurts, but I was in the zone for a little bit. I was ignoring it,” said Mr Chestnut, but the pain eventually slowed his pace in the 10-minute competition.
Last year, the Westfield, Indiana, resident topped his own record by consuming 76 franks and buns.
Ms Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, set the women's record at 48.5 wieners and buns in 2020, before taking last year off while expecting. She and Nick Wehry — a fellow competitive eater whom she met through the Nathan's contest in 2018 — welcomed their son, Max, on July 8, 2021.
From his dad's arms, the baby watched his 36-year-old mother notch her eighth Nathan's win. She told ESPN afterward that she hoped he would someday take a message away from it.
“I want to set an example,” she said, “to do things that you love and push yourself to your absolute limits and, when things get difficult, to still give it a try. And, you know, you might actually just come out victorious.”
Ms Sudo then took over parenting duties while Mr Wehry tried for the men's title.
In conjunction with the spectacle, Nathan’s donates 100,000 franks to the Food Bank for New York City.
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Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
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• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
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Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
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