CONEY ISLAND, N.Y. — Editor's note: The above video is of a prior competition in which Oji participated.
Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest is coming up this week, and a metro Atlanta man will be competing in the yearly bun fight.
Gideon Oji, of Morrow, is among several contestants hailing from 13 states and various countries that will attempt to win -- or eat -- it all at Coney Island, NY, on July 4.
According to Major League Eating, Oji is currently the world's No. 6 ranked eater. The 32-year-old reached his career high in the competition in 2016 when he placed fourth, eating 38 dogs. Last year, he scarfed down 36, finishing sixth.
Prior to taking up professional eating, Oji was a member of the Clayton State Lakers basketball team.
The annual event, which dates back to 1972, sees large crowds of fans in foam hot dog hats gather in front of the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to cheer on the competitors as they chow down. The contestants are allowed to dunk the dogs in cups of water to soften them up, creating a stomach-churning spectacle.
The field has shifted this year as Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the reigning champion of the contest, will not participate in Thursday's event after signing a deal with a rival brand.
Instead, Chestnut will take his hot dog-downing talents to an army base in Texas for America’s Independence Day. Chestnut, of Indiana, will compete against soldiers in Fort Bliss, in El Paso, in a 5-minute hot dog eating contest. In 2021, Chestnut set the current record of 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
With Chestnut out, those vying for second place in Brooklyn in the past might have renewed hope to chomp their way to victory this year.
Last year’s second-place winner was Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, Massachusetts, who downed 49 dogs to Chestnut’s 62. Third place went to Australia’s James Webb with 47.
Miki Sudo, of Tampa, Florida, holds the women’s record of 48.5 in 10 minutes. Sudo won her ninth title at the Nathan's Famous contest last year with 39.5 hot dogs and buns eaten.