LONG POND, Pa. — Long Pond resident Larell Marie Mele could taste victory as she devoured 18 and 3/4 hot dogs in just 10 minutes.
That earned her the bronze statue in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
"It was really, really close, so it was nerve-wracking. Then toward like the seven-minute mark, I kind of saw that I had a better lead and thought, 'I think I've got this,'" Mele said.
Mele has competed in the hot dog eating contest on Coney Island in New York City for 11 years.
Last year, she placed second. However, the competition was significantly scaled back because of the pandemic. She said this was the first time she could really relish the accomplishment.
"The way a child looks forward to Christmas, that's how I look forward to the Fourth of July contest. It's like the most exciting week of the year for me," Mele said.
So, the question on many of our minds: how does she eat nearly 19 hot dogs in ten minutes?
"I actually will take the same hot dog and bun at once and dunk it, whereas a lot of the other eaters will separate. So, I found so far that that's what works best for me," Mele said.
Mele said she starts practicing her speed eating three months before the big competition in July. She will be back next year, hoping to best her own personal record.