The former Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, site of Nathan's Famous hot dog eating qualifiers from 2009 to 2012, is scheduled for demolition on February 17 due to safety concerns. The property was purchased by Icahn Enterprises in 2016. The 2011 competition was the final Nathan's qualifier for Sonya Thomas, after which she received a bye as a former women's champion.

January 22, 2021 at 1:54 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:Atlantic City, Nathan's Hot Dog Contest | Permalink * Comments (17)

17 Comments »

  1. Anonymous said

    January 23, 2021 @ 12:12 am

    I wonder if Sonya ever imagined in a trillion years another female(s) coming along who would dominate her in every food discipline

    I don’t blame her for fading into oblivion

  2. Not So Fast said

    January 23, 2021 @ 4:30 pm

    I think Sonya was fully aware that others would come along and topple her records, just as she eclipsed previous standards and established new ones.

    She didn’t fade away until she was almost 50 years old. She’s old enough to be Miki’s mom! Sonya didn’t start eating competitively until she was well into her 30s. Miki was merely a teen at that time.

    Sonya ate competitively for 15 years and was undefeated versus other females for over 9 of those years. During that time she won close to 50 contests.

    Sonya did for women’s competitive eating what Kobayashi did for CE as a whole. Lots of people realize that, except for on Eatfeats. It doesn’t matter though, as her victories precede her. ☺️

  3. Anonymous said

    January 24, 2021 @ 2:58 pm

    Please tell us about the good ole days when hot dogs were a nickel.

  4. Anonymous said

    January 25, 2021 @ 11:28 am

    Sonja is a legend of woman’s competitive eating

  5. Anonymous said

    January 25, 2021 @ 12:39 pm

    No, the hot dog champ is Sucko. Most wieners ever.

  6. Anonymous said

    January 25, 2021 @ 2:13 pm

    Tickle Me Elmo was the hottest toy in 1996.

  7. Anonymous said

    January 25, 2021 @ 7:31 pm

    @Not So Fast agree with you 100%

    Unfortunately these memories will soon be forgotten unless someone does something about it. The world of CE is dominated by the plethora of YouTube and Instagram channels that are defining the experience for current day viewers. The CE of tomorrow probably won’t even know who she is.

  8. Anonymous said

    January 26, 2021 @ 2:44 am

    All these memories will be lost in time…. like tears in rain…

  9. Anonymous said

    January 26, 2021 @ 6:13 pm

    This is the point of why history is written down.

  10. Selective Recall said

    January 27, 2021 @ 10:20 am

    History is remembered and forgotten as needed to suit the purpose of those with the loudest voices.

  11. Anonymous said

    January 28, 2021 @ 5:54 pm

    I’m sorry Miki made a huge mistake when she reported a fake bomb scare on a airplane years ago. Too bad this story will always follow Miki. I forgive her. It not forgotten by the families that were delayed by this plane turning back to the airport

  12. Moving On said

    January 29, 2021 @ 3:41 pm

    Old news, 5:54. You, I, and everyone else have made our share of mistakes.

  13. Anonymous said

    February 25, 2021 @ 7:09 pm

    I think Sonja is the best female eating person in the world. I will always remember how humble she was. Miki gloats And always requires attention. Sonja is so cool and requires no attention

  14. Anonymous said

    February 25, 2021 @ 7:12 pm

    Sonja is the best for a very long time. Also her name is known worldwide. I don’t even care about the lady with the yellow hair

  15. Anonymous said

    February 25, 2021 @ 11:19 pm

    The black widow……like the pool player?

  16. Anonymous said

    February 26, 2021 @ 7:39 am

    “Her name is known worldwide”?????

    You’re making a really convincing argument by misspelling her name🤣. (She went by SONYA Thomas. “Sonya” with a “Y”.)

    You’re welcome. 🙄

  17. Anonymous said

    February 27, 2021 @ 8:53 am

    Sonya had a tremendous run as one of the best competitive eaters in the world for about a decade. She and Kobayashi were crowd pleasers. Fans loved their passion and fire. Sonya’s smile won people over.

    Yes, there are probably a dozen or more current competitive eaters who are better than Sonya was at her peak. But she was better than 95% of her competition at the time, which is how talent is measured.

    Carlene, Sonya and Juliet launched women’s competitive eating from its infancy. They were pioneers for the ladies. Each made their mark in their own way, leaving deep footprints.

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