Those still mourning the retirement of Michael Schumacher last weekend, never fear – the world’s next sporting hero has arrived.

Volodymur Stregalin ate 1kg (2.2lbs) of salo (pig fat) in 25 minutes at the annual pig fat festival held last weekend in the Ukrainian city of Lutsk.

We’re not sure that this in an officially recognized award, as there’s no mention of the contest, nor its winner, on the website of the International Federation of Competitive Eating, but kudos go to the man, all the same.

(nb - So taken are we by the idea of competitive eating, we’ve decided it’s a sport TSL should be covering. So watch this space.)

Meanwhile, although we like to think of ourselves as men of the world, we can’t recall ever tasting, well, raw pig fat. Can any of you out there enlighten us on the taste of this Ukrainian staple?

How thrilled his cardiologist must be to see this…. [Reuters]