Miki Sudo ate so fast judges couldn’t keep up with her and undercounted the number of hot dogs she stuffed into her tummy, reports ABC7.
She still came out on top for the ninth time in the Nathan’s hot dog eating championship on Coney Island despite the competition appearing closer than she wanted.
When the clock ticked down to zero, judges had credited her with 37 hot dogs and newcomer Mayoi Ebihara with 36.
Officials discovered during a recount that they had credited Ebihara with too many and Sudo with too few.
The final count Sudo 39 1/2 and Ebihara 33 1/2.
Sudo acknowledged she had one eye on Sudo throughout the competition.
“Mayoi knows this. I was really really aware that she was going to pose a threat so in the first couple of minutes I found myself watching her which I never want to do,” said Sudo to ESPN. “I never want to be distracted by the other competitors. Watching her I fumbled my hands. I got stuck with a big burp early on, but I was able to correct. 39s a low number, though. I’m sorry guys.”
She fell short of her world record of 48.5 and just shy of last year’s total of 40.
Sudo is from New York City and currently lives in Port Richey, Florida.
You can watch the entire women’s competition in the video below followed by an interview with Sudo.
Joey Chesnut won the men’s competition after a weather delay due to the threat of lightning. He continued his dominance eating 62 hot dogs for his 16th championship, the most ever.
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