Clayton County

Clayton County native competing in annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog-Eating Contest Returns To Coney Island NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: Competitive eater Gideon Oji participates in the 2021 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2021 in New York City. . The first Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest dates back to 1916, the year Nathan's Famous opened on Surf Avenue in Coney Island. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

CLAYTON COUNY, Ga. — A Clayton County native is set to compete in the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Thursday.

Gideon Oji, who is from Morrow, is one of 15 professional eaters competing in the annual tournament.

The 6-foot-9 Oji played college basketball at Clayton State University and previously ate 38 hot dogs in the 2016 contest.

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Each year, the contest is held at Coney Island, which is near Brooklyn.

The winner of the contest gets $10,000. The men’s contest begins at Noon.

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The 2024 contest is wide open with the departure of eating legend Joey Chestnut.

Major League Eating banned Chestnut, 41, who has won the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest 16 of the past 17 years, from the event.

A Major League Eating spokesperson said Chestnut chose to represent another hot dog brand, which disqualifies him from this year’s competition.

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