Happy Birthday Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas

Happy Birthday to the best female competitive eater in the world! Even though she beats the tar out of me, I still love to compete against her. She is a great eater and a great person.

Here are "a few" highlights of what she has done in CE. These are from her website www.sonyatheblackwidow.com

(Note: an asterisk {*} in front of the entry denotes a current World Record for that given food and duration; each food is only counted once when determining the number of current records. Hence, there are 31 asterisked entries for 29 different foods.)
* - November 29, 2006, Somerset, England: 46 Mince Pies in 10 minutes.* - September 16, 2006, Oklahoma City, OK: 9.75 lbs of Fried Okra in 10 minutes. * - August 13, 2006, Hong Kong: 17 Chinese Lotus Seed Buns in 12 minutes.* - August 12, 2006, Hong Kong: 176 Steamed Chinese Vegetable Dumplings in 12 minutes.* - June 24, 2006, Lynchburg, VA: 60 Virginia Ham Biscuits in 8 minutes, establishing a standard for that food.* - April 29, 2006, Baltimore, MD: 46 3-oz Phillips Crab Cakes in 10 minutes, eclipsing my previous record of 40 in 12 minutes set last August in Delaware.* - February 11, 2006, Long Beach, CA: 8 lbs, 2 oz of Chili Cheese Fries in 10 minutes. * - January 21, 2006, Las Vegas, NV: Consumed one 9 lbs+ (total weight) "Big Daddy" Barrick Burger w/ Cheese (without condiments) in 27 minutes, breaking my record of 48 minutes, 10 seconds, set last year.* - December 30, 2005, Orlando, FL, Tater Tots: 250 (+) in 5 minutes.* - December 3, 2005, AC, NJ: 10 pounds, 3 Ounces of Carmine's Meatballs in 12 minutes.
- November 23, 2005, NYC, NY: 4 pounds, 3 ounces of GoldenPalace.com Roast Turkey in 12 minutes. * - October 29, 2005, Bethesda, MD: 5.75 lbs of Buffalo Wing meat eaten off the bone in 10 minutes.- September 5, 2005, Knoxville, TN: 57 Krystal Burgers in 8 minutes: an American Record.- August 21, 2005, Harrington, DE: 40 Crab Cakes in 12 minutes.* - August 13, 2005, Kennebunkport, Maine: 11.4 pounds of Lobster meat (44 soft shell lobsters) in 12 minutes.- August 6, 2005, Sheboygan, WI: 35 Johnsonville Brats in 10 minutes. - July 4, 2005, Coney Island, NY: New Women's World Record (and American Record!) of 37 Nathan's Hot Dogs and Buns in 12 minutes, breaking the previous women's world record of 32 that I set last year.* - June 18, 2005, Wildwood, NJ: 6 lbs of Salty Ball Potatoes in 8 minutes, 40 seconds.* - June 8, 2005, LA, CA (co-owned with Rich "The Locust" LeFevre): 9 1/2 large boxes of (MTV Movie Awards) Popcorn in 10 minutes. * - May 28, 2005, Charlotte, NC, Armour Vienna Sausages: 8.31 pounds in 10 minutes. (I thought it was actually 9 pounds.) * - March 20, 2005, Metairie, LA, Acme Oysters: 46 Dozen (552) in 10 minutes, breaking my previous mark of 36 dozen set last year; a few minutes later also set an endurance record of eating 624 Oysters.- February 12, 2005, Venice Beach, CA: Goldenpalace.com Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: 25 in 10 minutes. - January 22, 2005, Las Vegas, NV: Consumed one 9.5-lbs (total weight) Barrick Burger w/ Cheese (without condiments) in 48 minutes, 10 seconds. - December 4, 2004, Atlantic City, NJ, "Carmine's" Meatballs: 5.95 lbs in 12 minutes. * - November 27, 2004, Orlando, FL, Hard-boiled Eggs: 52 in 5 minutes to establish a record for that time.* - November 20, 2004, St Louis, MO, Toasted Ravioli: 4 pounds in 12 minutes.* - October 20, 2004, Raleigh, NC, Ultra Rich Sweet Potato Casserole (w/Pecans): 8.62 pounds in 11 minutes.* - September 29, 2004, NY, NY, Tacos (Soft-Shell Chicken): 48 in 11 minutes. (Replacing my previous record of 43 1/2 in 11 minutes set September 16, 2003, also in NYC.)* - September 5, 2004, Buffalo, NY, Buffalo Wings: 5.09 pounds (162 wings) in 12 minutes (Breaking my 2003 record of 4.2 pounds / 134 wings).- August 21, 2004, Kennebunkport, Maine: 9.76 pounds of Lobster meat (38 soft shell lobsters) in 12 minutes.* - August 7, 2004, Centerville, Indiana: 84 Lumber World Baked Bean Championship: 8.4 lbs. of Baked Beans in 2 minutes, 47 seconds. (Please note that Don "Moses" Lerman has the World Record for consuming 6 pounds of beans in the shortest amount of time: a mere 1'48!) * - July 8, 2004, Madison Square Garden, NYC, NY, Chicken Nuggets: 80 in 5 minutes.- July 4, 2004, Coney Island, NY: New Women's World Record (and American Record!) of 32 Nathan's Hot Dogs and Buns in 12 minutes, breaking the previous women's world record of 25 that I set last year at Coney Island.- June 19, 2004, Chicago, Illinois, Bacci World Pizza-Eating Championship: 6 1/2 extra large "slices" of 24" Cheese Pizza in 15 minutes.- April 17, 2004, New Orleans, LA, Acme Oysters: 36 Dozen in 10 minutes. * - April 2, 2004, Orlando, FL, Cheese Quesadillas: 31 1/2 four-inch quesadillas in 5 minutes.* - February 24, 2004, Washington DC, Crawfish Jambalaya: 9 pounds in 10 minutes.* - February 21, 2004, Brooklyn, NY, NY, Cheesecake: 11 pounds in 9 minutes.- January 30, 2004, Philadelphia, PA: Radio WIP Wing Bowl Record of 167 BBQ Chicken Wings in 32 minutes. * - December 30, 2003, Buffalo, NY, Fruitcake: 4 Pounds, 14 1/4 Ounces in 10 minutes.* - November 26, 2003, Manhattan, NY, NY, Thanksgiving Meal Invitational: 7 and 3/4 pounds of Turducken (chicken, wrapped in duck, wrapped in turkey) in 12 minutes.* - October 3, 2003, Corinth MS, Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches: 23 in 10 minutes.- September 16, 2003, NY, NY, Tacos: 43 1/2 in 11 minutes.* - September 13, 2003, Indianapolis Indiana, Hard-boiled Eggs: 65 in 6 minutes, 40 seconds.
- August 30, 2003, Buffalo, NY, Buffalo Wings: 134 in 12 minutes (qualifying round).
* - August 9, 2003, Seymour, Wisconsin, Hardees Thickburgers: SEVEN 3/4-pound fully dressed burgers in 10 minutes.
- July 4, 2003, Coney Island, NYC, Women's World Record of 25 Hot Dogs and Buns: 12 minutes.

IFOCE EATER'S POLL TOP 25 (July edition)

IFOCE EATER'S POLL TOP 25

Rank. Eater's Name (First-place votes) (Points) [Previous Rank]

1. Joey Chestnut (7) (247) [2]

2. Takeru Kobayashi (3) (240) [1]

3. Patrick Bertoletti (232) [3]

4. Tim Janus (214) [8]

5. Sonya Thomas (197) [6]

6. Chip Simpson (189) [4]

7. Bob Shoudt (182) [5]

8. Rich LeFevre (181) [7]

9. Hall Hunt (163) [14]

10. Crazy Legs Conti (148) [9]

11. Juliet Lee (140) [10]

12. (tie) Arturo Rios (127) [15]

12. (tie) Erik Denmark (127) [10]

14. Pat Philbin (106) [18]

15. Dale Boone (101) [17]

16. Allen Goldstein (83) [NR]

17. Seaver Miller (73) [12]

18. Loren Yarbrough (57) [23]

19. Joe LaRue (53) [13]

20. Tim Brown (52) [NR]

21. Wing Kong (39) [22]

22. Larry McNeil (33) [20]

23. Justin Mih (28) [19]

24. Brian Subich (26) [NR]

25. Steakbellie (24) [21]

Also receiving votes: Jim Reeves, Mongo Marquez, Frank Wach, Pat Bruss, Chris Abatsas, Kevin Lipsitz, Brian Seiken, Wild Bill, Todd Yeates, Super Paul, Chappy, Don Lerman, Kevin Ross, Bruce "The Hangman" Pobanz, Juris Shibayama, Brad Sciullo, Russ Keeler, Shane Baker, Badlands Booker, P. Theyagarjan, Helen Hagarty, Skinny Boy Lane, Jed Donahue, Brickhouse Braunstein.

The Eater's Poll Board of Voters is made up of competitive eaters and media that cover the sport. All are involved in participating or following IFOCE/MLE contests. The board for the July edition of the Eater's Poll: Hall "Hoover" Hunt, Tim "Eater-X" Janus, Don "Moses" Lerman, Todd "The Butler" Yeates, ojrifkin, Liz Kellermeyer, Eric "Steakbellie" Livingston, Dave "Mega Munch" Shoffner, Bruce "Hangman" Pobanz, and "Super" Paul "Big Mouth-Bone Breaker" Barlow.

NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING CONTEST 2007

The 2007 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest totally lived up to all the hype! I finally got to really sit down and watch it today. Incredible. The speed and capacity of Joey and Takeru are especially amazing. I love how they are pushing each other and taking not only themselves, but everyone who is chasing them to new heights.I don't even know what to say about it all. It was just about everything I had hoped for. Fun, fellow eater camaraderie, competition, fans that were 100% amped to be there, and of course delicious Nathan's hot dogs and Heinz ketchup. I thank the Lord for it all. I could not ask for more except for maybe someone giving me a foot massage while I was actually eating and then a belly massage afterwards.
Everyone continues to improve there game. I think this is the first year ever that every contestant has done the deuce in the finals! Last year some looser ate 19 HDBs and failed to do the deuce in the finals with a few others. Why 19 last year and 29 this year you may ask. Why not 20 and 30? The answer is very simple with a slightly complicated explanation. Have you ever watched a commercial or better yet a movie trailer? Every good movie trailer always gets you excited and then leaves you hanging. That is what I am in this analogy. A movie trailer.
I am very excited to see what other contests are on the horizon with the MLE Major League Eating.
Congrats to Joey Chestnut for completing the secret operation known as "Operation TDT". It has been in progress now since it's conception in Las Vegas at the Stratosphere. I have been praying continuously for it to come to fruition and July 4th, 2007 it finally did. Nice work Joey!
As I have mentioned everyone else who competed also has done very well themselves to get to Coney Island. Everyone who competes on the 4th IS a champion. I am not just saying this like an elementary PE coach would say to their students, because to make it to the Nathan's championship is much bigger on the global scale than any blue ribbon you may have earned on a track and field day against 40 or 50 students. Hundreds or maybe even thousands of people worldwide have been spending time, money, and been making many other sacrifices to try and compete on ESPN. But the ones who made it there deserve all the best for making it happen.
Below I have listed the complete results even though they are posted many other places because these people in my mind are super competitive eaters and I want everyone to know it.

Nathan’s Finals results
1. Joey Chestnut 66 HDB (new world record / USA record)
2. Takeru Kobayashi 63 HDB (new Japanese record)
3. Pat Bertoletti 49 HDB (new PR)
4. Tim “Eater X” Janus 43.5 HDB (new PR)
5. Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas 39 HDB (new female record)
6. Bob Shoudt 35 HDB (new PR)
6. Chip Simpson 35 HDB
8. Rich LeFevre 31 HDB
9. Hall Hunt 29 HDB (new PR)
10. Juliet Lee 26 HDB
11. Dale Boone 25 HDB (new PR)
12. Pat Philbin 24 HDB
13. Crazy Legs Conti 23.5 HDB
14. Erik “the Red” Denmark 23 HDB
15. Tim Brown 22.5 HDB
16. Arturo Rios, Jr. 21 HDB
16. Allen “Shredder” Goldstein 21 HDB

Here are the introductions before the Nathan's hot dog contest:



Here is the actual footage of the Nathan's hot dog contest: