Originally published October 23, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified October 23, 2007 at 4:32 PM
People in Sports | Takeru Kobayashi
Lingering jaw pain will keep speed eater Takeru Kobayashi from competing Sunday in the Krystal Square Off IV World Hamburger Eating Championship...
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Lingering jaw pain will keep speed eater Takeru Kobayashi from competing Sunday in the Krystal Square Off IV World Hamburger Eating Championship, a spokesman for the Chattanooga-based restaurant company said Monday.
The hamburger eating contest in downtown Chattanooga will still match Joey Chestnut and Pat Bertoletti, the top-ranked Major League Eaters in the world, and 11 other competitors for the cash purse of $35,000, a statement from the restaurant company's promoters said.
Kobayashi, 29, won all three previous Krystal Hamburger Eating Championships and holds a world record of consuming 97 of the small, square burgers in eight minutes.
Kobayashi had a wisdom tooth extracted in June and received chiropractic treatment for a sore jaw before losing his championship in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot-dog eating tussle at Coney Island in New York.
"Takeru Kobayashi has informed us that he needs additional time for his jaw to repair and that his hiatus is indefinite but not permanent," said George Shea, chairman of Major League Eating. "The well-being of our competitors is paramount and we wish him speedy recovery."
The Associated Press
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
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