Koby with 53.5

Takeru Kobayashi of Japan achieved an unprecedented four-peat on July 4, winning the annual Nathan's Famous dogfest with a new world record of 53.5 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.

The event, which was broadcast live as part of an hour-long show on ESPN, attracted more than 5,000 fans to the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

Nobuyuki Shirota of Japan placed second with 38 hot dogs and buns and American Sonya Thomas placed third with 32, a new American record. Rich LeFevre of Nevada put in an enormous performance, placing fourth with 27 3/4. Eric Booker and Cookie Jarvis tied for fifth with 27.

Personal bests were notched by Carlene LeFevre with 22, Jim Reeves of Buffalo, NY, with 21, Joe LaRue of Florida with 20 and Allan Goldstein of Plainview, NY, with 19.