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Young debaters make their mark

Three Bermuda teenagers recently made their mark at the World Schools Debating Championship in Antalya, Turkey.Nicholas Pell, 16, Jashonae Smith, 16, and William Campbell, 14, took on seven other nations at the annual competition last month.The three went head-to-head with teams from China, Greece, Scotland, Israel, Hungary, Argentina and Chile.Team coach Gladstone Thompson said Bermuda’s team was younger than the competition, with most teams made up of students between 17 and 19 years old.Despite their age, the team managed to defeat Hungary by a unanimous decision, winning over all three adjudicators in a debate over Arctic resources.The Bermuda group lost by split decisions against four other teams.“This team was one of the most courageous teams that I have seen, particularly because of their ages,” Mr Thompson said. “No team was able to roll over them.“Against Greece I thought we had won it. I think Greece thought we had won it. They are the sixth best in the world and we had them on the ropes. That speaks a lot to our potential. The kids are excited and eager to go back and do better.”