Could the third time be the charm for Tremaine Dixon?

The second form Wolmer's Boys' High School student is confident in his chances of winning the national finals after two previous attempts.

"I just know that I have to concentrate, focus on the work and then come back," Tremaine explained yesterday evening after he was named The Gleaner's Children's Own Spelling Bee Kingston parish cham-pion for the third time.

Dixon, who could almostbe termed a veteran, towered over all the other spellers to finally beat out fellow Reverend Glen Archer-coached Kadeem Campbell, after almost three hours of intensive spelling by 26 of Kingston's best spellers.

Beaming with pride

In fact, so involved was the competition that the spellers exhausted the words in the book and had to move on to what are termed 'unseen words'.

Coach Archer, who coached all the top five students, was beaming with pride.

"I try to keep the standard very high and we did a lot of stimulative work in training so I give God thanks for the success. It's a wonderful feeling."

A sentiment shared by Tremaine's mother, Jacqueline Dixon, who believes that her son, after taking third spot at the national finals last year, is now ready to take it all the way.

"He just needed a little more time and I think this year he showed that he's ready," she said.

Like last year, Tremaine acknowledged the team that brought him thus far.

"I would like to thank everybody that helped me, my coach and my parents and everybody else who supported me and, most important, God, for giving me the opportunity again."

tennesia.malcolm@gleanerjm.com

Number of schools: 14

Number of spellers: 23

Overall champion: Tremaine Dixon

Champion girl: Dahlia Thomas

Winning word: Leptospirosis

Winning school: Wolmer's Boys'

Top five

1. Tremaine Dixon, Wolmer'sBoys' School

2. Kadeem Campbell,Kingston College

3. Dahlia Thomas, MavisvillePreparatory

4. Diana Spencer, VazPreparatory

5. Graiame Brown, VazPreparatory