16-year-old is America’s fastest texter

Agence France-Presse

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A boy shows the world that, even with texting, records can be had

'CHAMPION TEXTER' AUSTIN WEIRSCHKE at last year's LG texting tournament where he also emerged victorious. Screen grab from YouTube (MultiVuOnlineVideo)

Screen grab from YouTube (MultiVuOnlineVideo)

NEW YORK, United States of America – A 16-year-old boy retained his title as America’s fastest texter Wednesday, August 8, in a duel of the thumbs staged before yelling fans in New York’s Times Square.

Austin Weirschke took home US$50,000 prize money for the second time in two years when he bested 10 other texting demons in feats of thumb speed, memory and fluency in texting shorthand.

One round was performed with the remaining contestants blindfolded and having 45 seconds to type the verse: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.”

The event, sponsored by LG Electronics and using the company’s cell phones, took place on a traffic island in Times Square.

About 200 onlookers, including cheering relatives and mostly teenage texting aficionados, gathered around the stage.

Weirschke said he became a prolific texter thanks to practice with his mother, whom he dubbed “my texting coach.”

But when asked to describe his victory, he must have wished he could text his reply.

Facing a microphone, the humble winner could only manage: “I don’t really know what to say.” – Agence France-Presse

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