World Champion Glutton Peter Dowdeswell (5 photos)

There are plenty of people in the world who eat a lot. But far fewer do it phenomenally quickly. Among this "elite" of gluttons, there's a king named Peter Dowdeswell. He's not a particularly muscular man, but no one can handle food and drink faster than him. He's so good at it that he's made a living out of it and earned a tidy fortune.





Peter Dowdeswell was born in 1940 in Earls Barton, England. His childhood and adolescence were unremarkable. Peter first made a name for himself at the age of 34. In 1974, he entered beer-drinking championships and quickly became the best. The Brit didn't stop there, however, and began winning prizes in eating competitions as well.



Almost half a century has passed since then. Dowdeswell drank beer for speed, testing how much he could consume while standing on his head. He devoured eggs, sausages, cheese, strawberries, and much more, competing with the world's largest and fastest gluttons. Yet, compared to many of his competitors, Peter himself looks unimpressive. He is of average height, not very large, and his belly is no bigger than that of other beer drinkers.





Nevertheless, Peter set 300 world records, 100 of which remain unbeaten. Among his brilliant victories are drinking 1 liter of beer in 2 seconds, 4 liters of beer in 16.4 seconds, and 50.4 liters of beer in 3 hours. His greatest achievement remains drinking 4 liters of beer upside down in 40.4 seconds.



It's worth mentioning that Peter... doesn't like beer. He's generally indifferent to alcohol in everyday life. He only drinks the foamy beverage for show, preferring tea and juice at home.

Food Destroyer

When it comes to food, Dowdeswell isn't a slouch either. His championship achievements include eating 17 peeled bananas in 1 minute 47 seconds, 21.1 kg of hamburgers in 9 hours 43 minutes, and 32 peeled boiled eggs in 55 seconds. His work paid well. Over the years, Peter has donated £4.5 million to charity alone. Nobody knows the total amount of his fees and prize money.



However, all these achievements are now in the past. At the age of 71, the world champion glutton has retired. And it wasn't old age, as one might think, that was the reason. A work-related injury put Peter out of action. While he was drinking beer upside down for yet another speed-drinking challenge, the men holding him by the legs failed him. They dropped Dowdeswell onto the platform, injuring his shoulders and back. Speed-eating contests are no longer his thing. Peter only occasionally showcases his talent at charity events.