Intro:

Joey Chestnut retains his 'Nathan's Famous hotdog eating' title for the seventh time in a row in New York on Friday (4th July) and proposes to his girlfriend as Miki Sudo upsets defending champion Sonya Thomas in the women's event.

Script:

Joey Chestnut won the 99th Nathan's Famous hotdog eating competition for the eighth successive year in New York on Friday, but before he got down to action, he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend.

Fiancee Neslie Ricasa is a competitive eater as well, but did not place in the women's competition.

Originally turned off by Chestnut's chosen 'profession' Ricasa said she had been won over and said she was looking forward to to a bright future with her champion partner.

SOUNDBITE (English) Neslie Ricasa, proposed to by winner Joey Chestnut at event:

"The proposal is three years.. Three years of us being together but the win was.. He ate 8 years in a row so I mean they're both kind of equal, I'm so happy for him."

Chestnut said the pouring rain during the competition made eating much more difficult. He ate 61 hotdogs to win the competition this year, well short of his record of consuming 69 in 2013.

SOUNDBITE (English) Joey Chestnut, winner of the men's hot dog eating contest:

"It cooled them down and they turned just hard. It's like most meats just turn harder when they cool down and hot dogs cool down a lot."

Miki Sudo won the women's hotdog eating competition by eating 34 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Defending defending champion Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas was only able to devour 27 and three-quarters.