Disqualified eater still chasing Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest redemption
· Yahoo Sports
Madison Barone stepped onto the biggest stage in competitive eating last year. Two days later, she talked about the “biggest comeback ever.’’
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Her potential comeback.
Barone, 25, made her debut at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest a year ago as a wild-card entrant after finishing second at a qualifier. But shortly after the big contest ended, Barone was disqualified.
The problem: Barone, who said she'd eaten nine hot dogs and hot dog buns, failed to keep them down before the top five finishers in the men’s and women’s competition had been announced. That is a violation of contest rules.
The story went viral. But Barone had a different ending in mind.
On June 13, the potential road to redemption led her to a Nathan’s qualifier in Bristol, Connecticut, about 150 miles from her home in Manville, New Jersey.
This time, records show, Barone kept down everything she ate – 5 ½ hot dogs and buns. But that left her in fourth place, and only the top two eaters advance.
Last year she ate 8 ½ hot dogs and buns at the qualifier.
“There was something different about the hot dogs,’’ Barone told USA TODAY Sports, although she did not elaborate.
The cover photo of her Facebook page shows her name card on the competitive eating table at Nathan's. She still hopes to earn a spot at the table again.
“There’s always next year,’’ Barone said.
Delicate description of DQ
Nathan's officials used delicate and convoluted language last year after Barone's messy finish.
"Ms. Barone experienced urges contrary to swallowing after the contest but before the conclusion of presentations and the awarding of places," Sam Barclay, director of operations at Major League Eating, told USA TODAY Sports. "By Major League Eating rules, urges contrary to swallowing before the conclusion of the event, including presentations and the awarding of prizes, results in a DQ."
George Shea, host of the contest, balked at the word vomit.
"We will only say urges contrary to swallowing,'' Shea told USA TODAY Sports. "We never utter other words. It is like saying Voldemort."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disqualified eater still chasing Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest redemption