Love at first bite for competitive-eating couple ahead of Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest
NEW YORK CITY -- They're a power couple on the competitive-eating circuit and in real life, getting ready to compete in Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4.
The couple, Miki Sudo and Nick Wehry, will both be vying for the coveted Mustard Belt on Coney Island on Thursday.
They actually met through the competitive-eating world.
"We like to say we didn't choose competitive eating, competitive eating chose us," Sudo said.
Eleven years later, she continues competing because not only does she love food, but she loves to travel, meet new people, and entertain others.
Her husband, Wehry, said, "I was a competitive bodybuilder for about 10 years and when that stopped I needed another outlet. My appetite was a running joke and somebody said, 'You can raise money for charity, get free food, and win money,' I am in, I am so in!"
"I met the love of my life and we have a beautiful son together," said Sudo about their adorable 3-year-old son, Max.
The couple met when she introduced herself and asked him to take a picture at the gym where they were working out before an eating competition. A year later, a friend suggested they talk, but Wehry thought it would never happen.
"I thought she wouldn't give me the time of day! But fortunately, she did, and fast forward to now," he said.
They are both champions of many different eating competitions. She has won the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest among female competitors nine times. He's the No. 4 competitive eater in the whole world.
He has yet to take home the title at Nathan's, but with Joey Chestnut not competing there this year, Wehry hopes he has a shot. Plus, he's bested Chestnut before in wing-eating and pistachio-eating competitions.
The couple has developed best practices for competitive hot-dog eating and they give each other pointers.
"If my body cooperates on that given day. I've been practicing since January," he said. "It will be a fight to the finish."
You can watch them compete at noon July 4 on ESPN 2 in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
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