Speed-Eating Champion Takeru Kobayashi Gets Jaw Athritis

CHEW every mouthful 20 times or else:

A Japanese speed-eating champion’s title could be at risk because he is suffering from an arthritic jaw.

Takeru Kobayashi, 29, had been aiming for a seventh consecutive win at the annual 4 July US hot dog eating competition on Coney Island, Brooklyn.

But this week Kobayashi, dubbed “Tsunami”, said he was in so much pain he could barely open his mouth.

The champion, who only weighs 11st 11lb (75kg), last year ate a then record 53.75 frankfurters in 12 minutes.

Koyayashi writes:

“Already I can’t open my jaws more than just a little bit,” he wrote. “There’s no pain only if I open my mouth about enough for one finger. More than that is painful and I can’t open it.”

Smaller frankfurters..?

Anorak

Posted: 27th, June 2007 | In: Twitterings Comment (1) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink