Patrick Bertoletti Wins Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Amid Reining Champion's Absence

NEW YORK (AP) — Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago gobbled down 58 hot dogs to win his first men’s title Thursday at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, taking advantage of the absence of the event’s biggest star.

Bertoletti won in a tight, 10-minute race where the leader bounced back and forth. The 39-year-old Bertoletti defeated 13 competitors from around the world in a test to see who can wolf down the most hot dogs in 10 minutes.

“I wasn’t going to stop eating until the job was done,” Bertoletti said.

Bertoletti bested his prior record of 55 hot dogs at the event, held every Independence Day on New York’s Coney Island.

The reigning men’s champion, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, didn’t attend the competition this year over a sponsorship tiff. Instead, Chestnut will compete against soldiers at a U.S. Army base in El Paso later in the day. Chestnut won 16 out of 17 previous competitions.

Bertoletti said he lost weight and practiced for three months with “an urgency” to prepare for Thursday’s event, thinking he had a good chance of winning.

“With Joey not here, I knew I had a shot,” he said. “I was able to unlock something that I don’t know where it came from. But I’m not complaining.”

Earlier Thursday, defending champion Miki Sudo of Florida won her 10th title in the women’s division.

Sudo consumed 51 hot dogs in 10 minutes — and set a new world record for women.

“I’m just happy to call this mine for another year,” Sudo said after winning her 10th pink belt.

The 38-year-old dental hygiene student won last year after forcing down 39 1/2 hot dogs.

Sudo defeated 13 competitors, including 28-year-old rival Mayoi Ebihara of Japan. Ebihara came in second after eating 37 hot dogs in 10 minutes. She was also the