New world record set for hot dog eating
A 24-year-old Japanese national has established a new world record for eating hot dogs, devouring 50-and-a-half of them in 12 minutes.

Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, who weighs only 51 kilograms, defeated his weightier competitors, including Charles Hardy of Brooklyn (162 kilograms) and Eric Booker of New York state (181 kilograms).

Mr Kobayashi surpassed his own record established last year when he ate 50 hot dogs.

The public on Coney Island, an amusement park popular with Brooklyn residents, was impressed by his technique.

"I use the Solomon method, which consists in splitting the hot dog into two parts and then I use the muscles of my throat to get it straight to my stomach," Kobayashi said.

He says he had been preparing for the contest all year long by drinking a lot of water to enlarge his stomach.

"Obviously, I didn't eat before the contest," he said.

The competition, organised by the restaurant chain Nathan's Famous, was first held in 1916.

The winner get a year's free supply of hot dogs and a yellow mustard belt.