TOKYO — A Japanese man who set a world record by wolfing down dozens of hot dogs within minutes has suffered a severe jaw injury due to his rigorous training, making his next title uncertain.
Takeru "Tsunami'' Kobayashi said he can only open his mouth to make a gap the size of a fingertip after being diagnosed with jaw arthritis.
In an entry on his blog entitled "Occupational hazard,'' Kobayashi said: "My jaw refused to fight any more.''
The injury occurred only a week after the slender 29-year-old started training to win his seventh straight title at the annual July 4 Nathan's Famous hot dog eating event at New York's Coney Island.
"I feel ashamed that I couldn't notice the alarm bells set off by my own body,'' he said.
"But with the goal to win another title with a new record, I couldn't stop my training so close to the competition.
"I was continuing my training and bearing with the pain but finally I destroyed my jaw."
The Nathans annual Hot Dog Eating Competition is a great New York tradition. Recently, it has been carried live on ESPN with several hours of build up to the event, including replaying of previous events and other competitions (reminiscent of Super Bowl day coverage.) Lawhawk, Mrs. Lawhawk, Mrs. Legalbgl and myself watched the event together for the last couple of years.
Will Kobayashi's injury be the opening that Joey Chestnut needs to overcome his second place performance last year ? He is the current American record holder now with 52 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes. Or could this be the year that Sonia "The Black Widow" Thomas, last years third place finisher, takes the prize? My money is on train conductor Eric "Badlands" Booker, who holds records in matzoh balls and pies to take the top prize!
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