KIEV, November 17. /TASS/. A winner of a speed-eating contest has died during an awards ceremony in western Ukraine, local police said on Monday.

The vareniki (Ukrainian dumplings) eating contest was held in the Lviv Region on November 15, police said, adding that the 53-year old winner had died before the ambulance arrived.

This is not the first death reported at eating contests in Ukraine. Several years ago, a 77-year old man died at a similar competition in the Zaporizhia Region in south-east Ukraine.

Vareniki-eating contests have become nationwide in Ukraine. The absolute champion is Taras Dzyuba who ate 100 potate-stuffed dumplings in just four minutes and one second.