Every sport has that one athlete that dominated the competition in their day and has become a legend. When you think of the sport, they are the first name that comes to mind. Basketball has Michael Jordan, boxing has Muhammad Ali, football has Joe Montana, hockey has Wayne Gretzky, these are just a few of the greats that have cemented their legacy in sports for an eternity. However, today I will be discussing an athlete that has absolutely dominated the competition on all levels. He doesn’t get enough credit, only surfacing in the tabloids once a year. I’m talking about Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut, the greatest competitive eater in the world.
Somewhere in the USA
Joey Chestnut is a celebrity, a true household name in competitive eating. He dominates every competition and holds multiple world records. Some of the records he has set includes 103 Krystal Burgers eaten in 8 minutes, 121 Twinkies in 6 minutes, and 390 shrimp wontons in 8 minutes. However, his most important record comes in an annual event that gives the sport the most publicity, the 4th of July Nathan’s Hot Dog eating competition. Chestnut owns the competition, winning the prized “Mustard Belt” 7 years in a row and set a world record in 2013 with 69 hotdogs consumed in 10 minutes, 18 more than the runner up.
How does one prep for a food adventure such as this? Chestnut prepares by doing fluid fasts. He drinks water with liquid amino acids or flavored with lemon juice and cayenne pepper. He also practices and consumes mass amounts of food prior to the contest to stretch out his stomach. The day of the contest, he doesn’t eat a thing in order to ensure that he is, “absolutely empty” for mass consumption.
“I’ve figured out how to push my body to the absolute limit,” explained Chestnut
Joey Chestnut seeks to bring home the Mustard Belt for the 8th year in a row this Friday, July 4th. What a glorious day it will be, a day we celebrate America and our independence by watching a man consume the most American food we have.
You can do this Joey, cement your legacy.
