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Takeru Kobayashi

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This article is about the Japanese competitive eater. For other uses, see Kobayashi.
Takeru Kobayashi
Born (1978-03-15) March 15, 1978 (age 46)
Nagano, Japan
Other names"The Tsunami"
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
WebsiteTakeru-Kobayashi.com

Takeru Kobayashi (小林尊, Kobayashi Takeru) (born March 15, 1978) is a Japanese competitive eater and a member of the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE). He held the world record for hot dog eating for nearly six years, and holds several other eating records, and is ranked second in the world for competitive eating according to the International Federation of Competitive Eating.

Competition and records

Born in Nagano, Japan, Kobayashi set his first record at his rookie appearance on July 4, 2001, when he ate 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes at the Nathan's Coney Island hot dog-eating contest, doubling the previous record of 25. The record was so unexpected that when Kobayashi got to the later numbers, the organizers ran out of signs indicating how many dogs Kobayashi had eaten and had to resort to handwritten signs. Kobayashi would go on to break his own record three times in winning the contest six consecutive times (2001-2006).

In 2004 and 2007, there was controversy over Kobayashi's performance when fellow competitors accused him of regurgitating during the competition. Although regurgitation was not explicitly prohibited at the time, once food entered the mouth of a contestant it was not permitted to exit. However, judges did not find him guilty of any infractions and he was not penalized in either incident.

On June 2, 2007, Joey Chestnut broke Kobayashi's record with 59.5 hot dogs and buns in a qualifying round for the annual Nathan's contest.[1][2]

In the 2006 Krystal Square Off, Kobayashi's mark of 97 hamburgers was 30 better than his winning total in 2005 and 28 better than the World Record he set in 2004.

At a speed-eating contest in Hong Kong on August 13, 2005, Kobayashi consumed 83 vegetarian jiaozi dumplings in 8 minutes.[3] The next day, he ate 100 roasted pork buns in 12 minutes.[4] Kobayashi also won the 2005 Alka-Seltzer US Open of Competitive Eating, a three-hour IFOCE elimination tournament on ESPN,[5] as well as the Glutton Bowl, a two-hour IFOCE eating special that aired on the Fox Network in 2002.[6][7] However, on Fox's 2003 show Man vs. Beast, Kobayashi lost in an eating competition against a 1089-pound Kodiak bear, when he ate 31 bunless hot dogs in 2 minutes and 36 seconds to the bear's 50.[8]

On August 5, 2006, Kobayashi set yet another world record at the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, by downing 58 bratwurst sausages in 10 minutes, shattering the previous record of 35 set the previous year by Sonya Thomas.[9]

On September 23, 2006, Takeru Kobayashi set the world record at the Phantom Food Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, for eating 41 Summer Shack lobster rolls in 10 minutes, replacing the previous record of 22 rolls.

Other world-eating records held by Kobayashi include 17.7 pounds of cow brains in 15 minutes and 20 pounds (9 kg) of rice balls in 30 minutes.

On June 25, 2007, Kobayashi announced on his blog that he seriously injured his jaw during training. He stated that he could only open his jaw about the width of a fingertip. Kobayashi's participation in the July 4, 2007, Nathan's contest continued as scheduled. He was able to eat a personal record 63 hot dogs, though his mark was bettered by Chestnut's 66.[10]

On July 4, 2008, Kobayashi once again competed in the Nathan's contest. He and Chestnut reached a tie of 59 hot dogs and buns each, but he came in second to Chestnut in a 5-dog tiebreaker eatoff.[11]

Kobayashi went on to defeat Chestnut, May 31, 2009, in a Pizza Hut P'Zone competition at Sony Studios in Culver City, California. The competition aired on Spike TV on June 21.[12]

On July 4, 2009, he competed again in the Nathan's contest. While he reached 64.5 hot dogs and buns, Chestnut beat him by 3.5 with 68 hot dogs and buns.[13]

Also on July 2009, Kobayashi visited Puerto Rico in a special appearance for Taco Bell's Why Pay More Challenge, eating 64 tacos in 15 minutes for a local charity. [14]

On June 28, 2010, Kobayashi announced he would not compete in the Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Competition reportedly due to a labor impasse with Major League Eating over the ability to compete in contests not sanctioned by MLE. Kobayashi, however, was in attendance at the contest, watching from the crowd. After the competition had ended, he attempted to go onto the stage in protest and was taken into custody by police.[15][16]

Training and techniques

Kobayashi expands his stomach for a competition by eating larger and larger amounts of food, and then exercises to ensure that fat will not impede expansion of his stomach during a competition.[17]

Kobayashi's official web site gives his height as 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) and his weight as 75 kg (165 lb). However he's weighed as much as 87 kg (191.8 lb) according to a June 29, 2006 blog entry, and as little as 58 kg (128 lb) for the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating competition in 2008.[18] As of July 4, 2009, Kobayashi weighed in at 60 kg (132 lb) for the annual Fourth of July hot dog eating competition on Coney Island.[19]

Kobayashi is also known for his trademark body wiggle, referred to by some as the "Kobayashi Shake", to force food down his esophagus and settle more compactly in his stomach.[20] He eats the hot dogs by splitting the frankfurter in half, swallowing both parts at once, and then dipping the buns in water, Sprite, or 7-Up and stuffing it in his mouth. He calls this the Solomon method.[21]

Records

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

From 2001 to 2006, Kobayashi won Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest an unprecedented six times in a row. He held the record for hot dogs eaten in the competition from his first appearance until 2007, when current record holder Joey Chestnut claimed the first of four consecutive victories.

Annual results

Kobayashi's win record on Nathans Wall of Fame, 2007
Year Place HDB's
(hot dogs & buns)
2001 1st 50*
2002 1st 50.5*
2003 1st 44.5
2004 1st 53.5*
2005 1st 49
2006 1st 53.75*
2007 2nd 63
20081 2nd 59
2009 2nd 64.5
2010 DNC
(contract dispute)

* set new world record
Yellow = World record holder
1 Contest time reduced from 12 to 10 minutes.

Glutton Bowl

Kobayashi ate 31 hot-dogs in the hot dog eating round, putting him into the finals. For the final round of the Glutton Bowl, the contestants had to eat a bowl of brains. Kobayashi won with a finished plate, of 55 brains.

Krystal Square Off

Kobayashi was also the reigning champion of the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship until 2007, when he could not compete due to a recent wisdom tooth extraction. The 2007 winner was Joey Chestnut, who ate 103 hamburgers.

  • 2009: First Place (93 hamburgers)
  • 2008: Third place (84 hamburgers)[22]
  • 2006: First place (97 hamburgers)[23]
  • 2005: First place (67 hamburgers)[24]
  • 2004: First place (69 hamburgers)[25]

Independence Day 2010 Arrest

Kobayashi was arrested on July 4th, 2010 during the Nathan's International Hot Dog Eating Contest when he exited the police-barricaded spectator pen and entered the stage after the eating ended, and was welcomed by host George Shea.[26] Security officers forcibly took him offstage as he hung on to the police barrier and was taken into custody by NYPD officers. He was charged with resisting arrest, trespass and obstructing governmental administration.[27] Kobayashi was not participating due to a contract dispute as he refused to sign a contract with Major League Eating that would have prevented him from participating in events not sanctioned by the League.

References

  1. ^ Allan Chernoff; Adam Reiss; Shannon Troetel (4 July 2005). "Champ a top dog again with 49 weiners". CNN. Retrieved 6 July 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ The Associated Press (2 June 2007). "California man tops Kobayashi's hot dog record". MSNBC. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
  3. ^ "Japan speed-eater in dumpling win". BBC News. 14 August 2005. Retrieved 2 October 2006.
  4. ^ Monday Ng (15 August 2005). "Japan speed eater wolfs down 100 pork buns in 12 minutes". The Standard. Retrieved 2 October 2006.
  5. ^ "Kobayashi Takes Alka-Seltzer US Open of Competitive Eating". International Federation of Competitive Eating. 31 July 2005. Retrieved 2 October 2006.
  6. ^ Tama Miyake. "Feature: Fast food". Metropolis Japan. Retrieved 2 October 2006.
  7. ^ Amy Moon (26 May 2005). "Asian Pop: Superchomp Korean-born Sonya Thomas is the No. 1 ranked competitive eater in the USA". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2 October 2006.
  8. ^ Larry Getlen (19 May 2005). "The Miracle That Is Kobayashi". The Black Table. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
  9. ^ The Associated Press (5 August 2006). "Kobayashi eats record 58 brats in Sheboygan". USA Today. Retrieved 1 July 2007.
  10. ^ Agence France-Presse. "Jaw arthritis for hot-dog champ." The Daily Telegraph. June 25, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  11. ^ journalgazette.net, 3RF contest could be a wiener
  12. ^ Associated Press. "[1]." The Associated Press . May 31, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  13. ^ nationnaledger.com, Joey Chestnut Beats Takeru Kobayashi
  14. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVJMm3ex9zg, http://www.blog.insula.tv/2009_07_01_archive.html]
  15. ^ http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38086913/ns/sports-othersports/
  16. ^ Feds Grant Takeru Kobayashi Special Visa for “Extraordinary Ability”
  17. ^ Talmadge, Eric. "Pigout champion Kobayashi limbers up for hot dog gold." Japan Times. June 25, 2004. Retrieved on June 25, 2006.
  18. ^ "Contenders get ready for Nathan's hot dog eating contest". Associated Press. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  19. ^ "Arch rivals square off at Nathan's hot dog-eating weigh-in". New York Daily News. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  20. ^ Farley, David. "Curious Gorge." Time Out. January 15, 2004. Retrieved on June 25, 2006.
  21. ^ Poon, William. "Nathan’s Famous Hotdog Eating Contest." ThinkQuest. Retrieved on June 25, 2006.
  22. ^ "Video: Joey Chestnut Wins World Hamburger Eating Championship". Krystal Square Off Blog. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  23. ^ Mike O'Neal (28 October 2006). "Kobayashi Remains Krystal King". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
  24. ^ "2005 Krystal Square Off World Hamburger-Eating Championship results". IFOCE. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
  25. ^ "2004 Krystal Square Off World Hamburger-Eating Championship results". IFOCE. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
  26. ^ "Kobayashi arrested after Chestnut's hot dog win". NBC Sports. 4 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  27. ^ "Kobayashi arrested after Chestnut's hot dog win". NBC Sports. 4 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
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