Bristol Student becomes ‘World Quizzing Champion’

By Teddy Coward, Investigations Editor

Dan Hawkins, who studies Geology MSci, topped the category with a strong three-point lead against his second-placed opponent.

Bristol student Dan Hawkins is now officially the world’s top quiz contestant under 20, finishing first among 156 other quiz-lovers in the World Quizzing Championships Under 20s category.

The quiz took the form of a two-hour written activity where candidates answered 240 questions on eight different categories, such as culture, history, media, lifestyle, sport and sciences, all of which echoed the international nature of the competition by including questions on topics ranging from architecture and jazz to language and the natural world.

Impressively, Dan’s achievement was ranked 41^st when incorporated into the scores of over 350 competitors under the age of 30.

Speaking of his achievement, Dan said: 'I think quizzing is something you just need to have a go at. You never know what you know until it comes up, and you’ll surprise yourself. I had no high expectations coming into this yet I’ve had some really great experiences and played against some world class quizzers.'

Dan’s victory will provide him with confidence going into BBC 2’s University Challenge with the next group of Bristol’s quiz team.

Current University Challenge participant for the University of Bristol, Owen Iredale, also ranked 54^th in the quiz, showcasing the strength of the University’s quizzing talents.

The University of Bristol team will be competing against the University of Birmingham on tonight's University Challenge.

Featured Image credit: BBC / University Challenge

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