The 25-year-old told the New York Daily News he went into the annual Fourth of July competition in Coney Island confident he would repeat as
the hot dog-eating champion of the world.
"I've been practicing hard," Chestnut said wolfing down a personal high with 68 hot dogs. "I knew it would be hard to beat me."
Chestnut said despite going against six-time titleholder Takeru (Tsunami) Kobayashi, he felt comfortable after consuming 23 hot dogs in the event's first two minutes.
"After the second minute I knew my body was cooperating," said the 218-pound winner, who earned the event's Mustard Belt award and $20,000 prize.
The Daily News said Chestnut's victory at the 94th annual contest came a year after he narrowly defeated Kobayashi in the competitive eating contest.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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