There is no July 4 tradition like the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Some may see Joey Chestnut devouring hot dogs at never-before-seen paces and find it grotesque, but I'm always going to find it impressive and, in a very singular manner, somewhat beautiful. That applies to Miki Sudo in the women's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest as well, because I'm someone who appreciates the marvel of this contest and how impressive the dominance is, but also someone who just appreciates greatness as well.
And for the 2026 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, greatness would have to be on display. With the heat waves wrecking the East Coast leading into July 4 and on the holiday, the conditions were certainly not ideal to slam down dozens of hot dogs. But both Chestnut and Sudo were never going to let their mustard belts go without another fight and proving their greatness in competitive eating once again. So let's see how they did and the full results from both the women's and men's contests.
Full 2026 Men's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest results
Finishing Position | Hot Dogs Eaten |
|---|---|
Winner: Joey Chestnut | 66 |
2. Patrick Bertoletti | 51 |
3. James Webb | 47.5 |
Even in the wild heat at Coney Island with temperatures in the 90s and the Real Feel above 100 for the day, Joey Chestnut didn't let his run of dominance stop. While he didn't cross the 70 hot dog and bun threshold that has been the subject of world record chases (which was to be expected given the conditions for this year's contest), he was a cut above the rest of the field as it wasn't even close.
Chestnut set the pace early and already had a several hot dog lead in the contest within the first minute and a half of the competition. With someone of his caliber in competitive eating, that may as well have been the end of it. Patrick Bertoletti, who won the 2024 contest when Chestnut didn't compete, and James Webb actually provided the most drama as they jockeyed between second and third place. But it was Chestnut who ended up well over 10 hot dogs clear of the rest of the competition to claim his 18th championship at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Full 2026 Women's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest results
Finishing Position | Hot Dogs Eaten |
|---|---|
Winner: Miki Sudo | 38.75 |
2. Michelle Lesco | 22 |
3. Domenica Dee | 21.5 |
4. Tandra Childress | 17 |
5. Semora Kludy | 16.75 |
Miki Sudo continued her absolute reign of dominance in the women's competition with her 12th victory since a women's contest was split off from the men's in 2014. In fact, Sudo has not lost a women's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in her competitive eating career. The only women's contest that she hasn't emerged victorious in was back in 2021 because she was unable to compete due to her pregnancy.
In that one year, it was Michell Lesco, the runner-up for the 2026 contest, who emerged victorious. But while Sudo was once again dominant in her triumph over the competition this year to take the pink mustard belt and keep it at home with her, she's still. a far cry from the world record she set in 2024 when she took down a ridiculous 51 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Sudo also watched her husband, Nick Wehry, compete once again in the men's competition
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