Joey Chestnut Hailed by Fans After Winning 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

The legend of Joey Chestnut grew even more Tuesday en route to him winning his 16th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest (and eighth in a row), and it had nothing to do with eating a bewildering amount of frankfurters.

The contest was delayed and then briefly canceled as a thunderstorm rolled through Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. Contest host George Shea then said that the New York City Police Department told him to cancel the event.

This clearly did not sit well with Chestnut, as multiple eye-witnesses reported.

The man of the people also spoke with ardent fans during the delay.

Ultimately, the men's competition was called back on, and Chestnut went to work, eating 62 hot dogs for a comfortable victory.

A legion of Chestnut supporters on Twitter praised him for anything he may have done to get this contest back on.

And then many more praised him for taking the Mustard Belt yet again.

Another legend went to work prior to the delay as Miki Sudo won the women's division by eating 39-and-a-half hot dogs.

Sudo is now a nine-time champion who notably won every year from 2014-2020. She holds the all-time women's record with 48-and-a-half hot dogs and buns consumed in 10 minutes (2020).