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Former contestant on The Amazing Race, Tim Janus, who was also a competitive eater, has sadly died.

He was known on the competitive eating circuit as Eater X, and his publicist confirmed he had faced a “long battle with cancer.”

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The statement continued, “Known for competing in a trademark face painted Viking mask, Janus spent 12 years in competitive eating, from 2006 to 2018, rising as high as No. 2 in world rankings and becoming one of the defining personalities of what participants called the sport’s ‘trophy era.’ But competitive eating was only one expression of a life characterized by intense curiosity, unusual interests and a determination to pursue experiences simply because they fascinated him.”

They added, “Janus entered competitive eating in 2006 and quickly established himself among the elite competitors in the world. His career coincided with what became known as the ‘trophy era,’ a period when competitors crisscrossed the country pursuing obscure and highly specific food championships, often for little or no prize money beyond a title, a trophy and the distinction of being able to call oneself a world champion.”

“Tim followed his own passions and dreams without regard for the pressures or expectations of society,” Crazy Legs Conti, Janus’s former roommate and a former world oyster-eating champion, said in a statement. “He was unique, brilliant and beloved by his friends. He lived his life on his own terms.”

Our condolences go out to Tim Janus‘ friends, family, and loved ones.

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