14-year-old becomes world Scrabble champion after moving to Australia

Fernando learnt to play Scrabble at school when he was eight. His passion for the game grew quickly and he competed in the Sri Lankan national championships in 2022 and 2024. 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.A word a day… or 200 words a dayAccording to the news report, Fernando learnt to play Scrabble at school when he was eight. His passion for the game grew quickly and he competed in the Sri Lankan national championships in 2022 and 2024. He continued to train when he ...