Man Chomps 62 Hot Dogs to Win July 4th Eating Contest (PHOTOS)

Joey Chestnut again reigns as the champion in Nathan's July 4^th hot dog eating contest in Coney Island, N.Y.

Chestnut amazingly downed 62 hot dogs within 10 minutes to capture his fifth title. Sixteen other competitors participated in the event, but none were any match for the San Jose engineering student.

Listen, I'm getting paid to eat, said Chestnut, who won $10,000 and the bragging rights that come with the title. It's not too bad of a life.

In the women's competition, winner Sonya The Black Widow Thomas downed 40 hot dogs as she beat runner-up Juliet Lee.

She looks so lovely. Not once has she violated table manners, the announcer said while rooting Thomas on. She's absolutely an elegant lady. And yet she has the jaw of a German shepherd.

The competition was fierce as eaters typically finished a hot dog in 3 to 4 seconds. Other strategies involved tilting their heads back to clear a pathway for the food into their throats, or softening the food with water before swallowing.

Both Chestnut and Thomas were awarded $10,000 apiece as the grand prize. The competition avoided drama as former hot dog eating champion Kobayahshi was absent from the event. He was banned due to contract issues with the governing body, Major League Eating.

Kabayashi did not allow the ban to prevent him from being part of the festivities. He held his own competition on top of a room in Coney Island next to a television broadcasting the actual event. It was reported that he ate six hot dogs within 10 minutes, which could be a new world record. The accomplishment, however, may not be recognized, as it was labeled a farce by the league, according to AOL news.

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