A Tucson waitress gobbled 20 hot dogs Monday, but it wasn't enough to win the annual hot dog-eating contest at Coney Island.
Michelle Lesco, a waitress at the Arizona Inn who stands 5 feet 4 inches and weighs 115 pounds, placed fourth in the annual competition, which was broken into men's and women's divisions this year for the first time.
Sonya Thomas of Alexandria, Va., known as the "Black Widow" of competitive eating, won with 40 downed dogs, earning her $10,000 and a pink Pepto Bismol champion's belt. Juliet Lee, of Germantown, Md., ate 29 1/2 wieners to take second place, and Stephanie Torres, of Las Cruces, N.M., downed 28 1/2 for third place.
The winner of the men's division was 27-year-old Joey Chestnut of San Jose, Calif., who scarfed down 62 hot dogs to win his fifth consecutive Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest at Coney Island - the equivalent of about 20,000 calories in 10 minutes.
To earn a spot in the contest, Lesco gobbled up 21 1/2 hot dogs in 10 minutes at a June qualifier in Tempe. The event was Lesco's first attempt at eating hot dogs for sport.
However, Lesco has made her mark at Lindy's on Fourth, one of her favorite haunts. There you'll find her picture on the wall, from one of the many times she's succeeded in a challenge to eat a dozen 4-ounce burger patties, 12 slices of cheese, a variety of toppings and a bun in 20 minutes. Lesco also tackled a challenge at Something Sweet Dessert Lounge. She ate four pieces of cheesecake and four brownies.
Titles go to "Jaws" and "Black Widow." / A16
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
