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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

14-year-old Dineth Fernando moved to Australia seven months ago and studied 200 Scrabble words a day; recently he became world youth Scrabble champion

Australia United States Sri Lanka Nairobi Tony Hunt Melbourne

Hard work takes you a long way and 14-year-old Dineth Fernando has already found that 200 words a day can take you very far. The Melbourne teenager has only been in Australia for seven months but has already been to Nairobi and back with one of the biggest prizes in youth Scrabble: the World Youth Scrabble Championship, ABC Information and Services reports. Fernando, who arrived in Australia with his family from Sri Lanka in February, beat a field of about 140 competitors from around the world to win the title early last week. For a teen still finding his footing in a new country, the victory is more than a trophy. It’s the result of years of commitment to a game that has given him friendships, taught him English, and provided a sense of belonging.

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