Competitive Eating: What's it all about?

Getting to know this weird sport:

Competitive eating or speed eating is exactly what the title suggests,
competitively eating large amounts of food under timed conditions.
But this sport continues to be a puzzle to the rest of us who do not competitively eat.
Various swallowing techniques such as “chipmunking” allows food to pass through much more easily.
Yes, the thought of this may make people uneasy.
However competitive eaters have to learn the inner workings of their oesophagus
and muscles to be a competitive eating champion. 

This sport initially evolved from pie-eating contests at county fairs
but then evolved to a sport that generates enormous media attention due
to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest held on July 4th every year since 1916.
This triggered immense attention and went beyond just pies to eating hot dogs, cakes, burgers
and pizzas.

The Rules:

The rules are quite simple and are constantly regulated around safety standards:

• Eaters must be at least 18 years old

• Training must be done in a controlled environment not at home

• The food to be eaten is weighed or cut into uniform pieces

• Must start when the official gives the signal

• When the time is up the food in the eater’s mouth has to be swallowed and any food in their hands need to be dropped

• Anyone who vomits is disqualified

Now if you thought competitive eating was the sport for you...you might want to think again.

References: (image and where you got the general info from)

Burton, A. (2013). Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2013: Start Time, Prize Money and Contestants.
Retrieved from
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1691304-nathans-hot-dog-eating-contest-2013-start-time-prize-
money-and-contestants 

Kraft, A. (2018, July 4). How Competitive Eaters Do It – and What it Does to Them.
Retrieved April 25, 2020, from WLTX website:
https://www.wltx.com/article/news/how-competitive-eaters-do-it-and-what-it-does-to-them/1
01-570676293