Defending Champions Win Again at the 2026 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

2026 年 Nathan's Famous 熱狗速食大賽：衛冕冠軍再次奪冠

Jul 4, 2026, 21:37
USSports

Introduction

Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo successfully defended their titles during the annual competitive eating event held on July 4, 2026, in Coney Island, New York.

Joey Chestnut 與 Miki Sudo 在 2026 年 7 月 4 日於紐約康尼島舉行的年度速食比賽中，成功衛冕其冠軍頭銜。

Main Body

The 2026 competition took place during the 250th anniversary of the United States. The event was held under the new ownership of Smithfield Foods, which bought Nathan's Famous in January. Furthermore, the weather was extremely hot, with temperatures reaching nearly 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Both participants and commentators emphasized that this heat may have negatively affected the quality of the buns and the athletes' overall performance.

2026 年的比賽在美國建國 250 周年之際舉行。此次賽事是在 1 月收購 Nathan's Famous 的新所有者 Smithfield Foods 的管理下舉行。此外，天氣極端炎熱，氣溫幾乎達到華氏 99 度。參賽者與評論員均強調，這種高溫可能對麵包的品質以及運動員的整體表現產生負面影響。

In the men's division, Joey Chestnut won his 18th championship by eating 66 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes. Although he defeated the second-place finisher, Patrick Bertoletti, who ate 51, Chestnut did not break his own world record of 76 set in 2021. His victory came after some personal and professional challenges, including a 2024 disqualification due to a sponsorship conflict and a 2026 legal issue in Indiana. Despite being on probation, a judge allowed him to travel to New York, and Major League Eating confirmed he was still eligible to compete.

在男子組中，Joey Chestnut 在十分鐘內吃下 66 個熱狗及麵包，奪得其第 18 座冠軍。雖然他擊敗了吃下 51 個、獲得第二名的 Patrick Bertoletti，但 Chestnut 並未打破他在 2021 年創下的 76 個世界紀錄。此次獲勝是在經歷了一些個人與職業挑戰之後，包括 2024 年因贊助衝突而被取消資格，以及 2026 年在印第安那州遇到的法律問題。儘管處於緩刑期間，法官仍允許他前往紐約，而 Major League Eating 也確認他仍具備參賽資格。

Meanwhile, Miki Sudo won her 12th title in the women's division by eating 38.75 hot dogs. This was better than her 2025 result of 33, although it was lower than her personal record of 51 from 2024. Sudo has dominated the sport since 2014, only missing the 2021 event due to pregnancy. In the women's category, Michelle Lesco took second place with 22 hot dogs. Both champions received a $10,000 prize, and the event was broadcast on ABC and ESPN2.

與此同時，Miki Sudo 在女子組中吃下 38.75 個熱狗，奪得其第 12 座冠軍。這一成績優於她 2025 年的 33 個，但低於她在 2024 年創下的個人紀錄 51 個。Sudo 自 2014 年起便主導該項運動，僅因 2021 年懷孕而缺席。在女子組中，Michelle Lesco 以 22 個熱狗獲得第二名。兩位冠軍均獲得 1 萬美元獎金，賽事由 ABC 和 ESPN2 轉播。

Conclusion

Both Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo proved their continued dominance in the sport, each winning a championship belt and the top cash prize.

Joey Chestnut 與 Miki Sudo 均證明了他們在該項運動中的持續主導地位，兩人各獲一座冠軍腰帶及最高額現金獎金。

Vocabulary Learning

🚀 Level Up: From 'Basic' to 'B2' Narrative Flow

At the A2 level, students usually write like this: "Joey won. He ate 66 hot dogs. He had some problems. But he won." This is correct, but it sounds like a list. To reach B2, you need to connect ideas to show how they relate to each other.

🧠 The Magic of 'Contrast Connectors'

Look at these three words from the text. They are the 'secret sauce' for B2 fluency:

  1. Although →\rightarrow "Although he defeated the second-place finisher... Chestnut did not break his own world record."

    • The B2 Hack: Use this to put two opposing ideas in one sentence. It tells the reader: "Something happened, but it's not the whole story."

  2. Despite →\rightarrow "Despite being on probation, a judge allowed him to travel..."

    • The B2 Hack: Use this when you want to show a surprising result. Note that Despite is followed by a noun or a verb-ing, not a full sentence with a subject and verb.

  3. Furthermore →\rightarrow "Furthermore, the weather was extremely hot..."

    • The B2 Hack: Stop using "And" or "Also" at the start of every sentence. Furthermore is the professional way to add a new, important point to your argument.

🛠️ Practical Application: The 'Shift' Table

A2 Style (Simple)B2 Style (Sophisticated)Why it's better
He was on probation. He went to NY.Despite being on probation, he went to NY.Shows the conflict immediately.
He won the race. He didn't break the record.Although he won the race, he didn't break the record.Creates a complex, fluid thought.
It was hot. The buns were bad.The weather was hot; furthermore, the buns were bad.Adds weight and logic to the description.

Pro Tip: To sound B2, don't just give information. Use these connectors to explain the relationship between the information.

Vocabulary Learning

defended (v.)
To successfully maintain a title or position against challengers.
Example:The champion defended her title for the third year in a row.
emphasized (v.)
To give special importance or prominence to something in speaking or writing.
Example:The teacher emphasized the importance of arriving on time for the exam.
disqualification (n.)
The act of being officially declared ineligible for a competition due to a rule violation.
Example:The athlete faced disqualification after failing a drug test.
probation (n.)
A period of time during which a person's conduct is monitored, often as an alternative to prison.
Example:He was released from jail but remained on probation for two years.
eligible (adj.)
Having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions.
Example:Only students with a high GPA are eligible for the scholarship.
dominated (v.)
To have a commanding influence or exercise control over a particular field or sport.
Example:The team dominated the league throughout the entire season.
Practice B2 words in a crossword→