Owayne stumbles in semis

Jamaica's speller Owayne Rodney fell out at the semi-final stage of the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee yesterday.

The 11-year-old Gleaner Children's Own Spelling Bee champion was attempting to be the second person from outside the USA to win the competition; fellow Jamaican Jody-Anne Maxwell remaining the only one.

Owayne misspelled DESIPIENCE, which is a noun meaning silliness, trifling or nonsense. He was one of the 16 spellers who dropped out in the first semi-final round that started at 9 a.m. Jamaican time.

"It was a word I didn't know. But, I think I could have done better," he admitted. But he remained positive, knowing that he made it to the semi-finals in a competition that had 273 spellers.

"Overall, the experience has been very good for me," he said. "I wish I could come back again."

Owayne was one of eight children from outside the US to enter this year.

"It was good getting to know other people from different countries," he said, pointing out that he met spellers from as far away as Japan and New Zealand. He said visiting the Washington Monument was one of the highlights of the trip.

Owayne, who sat the Grade Six Achievement Test in March, said he is looking forward to continuing his education, hopefully at his first choice, Glenmuir High.

The national champion, his mother, Carlene, coach Primrose Swaby and Gleaner Business Development and Marketing Manager Karin Cooper return to the island tomorrow.