Tim Janus, a competitive eater who became a fan-favorite contestant on The Amazing Race, has passed away.
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The 49-year-old died on Sept. 16 "from complications following a long battle with cancer," his publicist told Major League Eating.
A prolific competitive eater, Janus rose all the way to the number two position in the sport at his peak, per TMZ. In 2018, Janus, known to competitive eating fans for his dramatic Ultimate Warrior-style makeup when he competed, joined his chief rival, Joey Chestnut, for the 30th season of The Amazing Race in 2018.
The dining duo finished in 8th place.
Meanwhile, Janus competed in the "trophy era" of professional eating from 2006 to 2018. The term was coined because, in those years, pro eaters did it all for the love of the sport, as there was no cash prize.
Janus racked up several titles during his time as an eating pro. Among them is the world ramen noodle-eating champion, with 10.5 pounds gulped down in just 8 minutes. He also earned the world sushi-eating champion title after consuming 141 pieces of nigiri in 6 minutes. In 2014, he inhaled 44 hot dogs in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Janus also managed to grab the title of world burping champion, with his behemoth belch clocking in at 18.1 seconds.
Tim Janus Won Big Bucks in a Memorable TV Appearance
Outside of competitive eating and his time on The Amazing Race, Janus made other high-profile TV appearances. He won $1,600 on Cash Cab, according to TMZ. However, he managed to score much more cash when he popped on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2009.
While he didn't nab the top prize on the syndicated version of the show, he racked up $100,000.
"Tim followed his own passions and dreams without regard for the pressures or expectations of society," professional eater Crazy Legs Conti told Major League Eating in the wake of Janus' death. "He was unique, brilliant and beloved by his friends. He lived his life on his own terms."
The Connecticut native is survived by his parents and sister.
