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S'porean Li Shengwu ranked top debater at world's biggest debating tournament
5 Jan 2010
 
   
  
   
 
Singaporean Li Shengwu has been ranked the top debater at the world's biggest debating tournament, though his team did not emerge tops.

Mr Li was part of the team representing Oxford University at the World Universities Debating Championships, held in Turkey this year.

The motion at the grand final was "The media should show the horrors of war".

The University of Sydney beat Harvard, the London School of Economics and Mr Li's team to emerge winners.

But still, it was Mr Li who emerged the top debator among the field of some 800 participants.

"It's partly just about quite consistent performance over nine rounds. We didn't win the grand final but over the course of the tournament i had the highest individual speaker score which is why i got the best speaker prize. I think partly it's to do with getting a lot of experience, and reading the kinds of things to do with philosophy and economics that are very helpful for debating."

Mr Li, who turns 25 this year, is the son of Fraser & Neave chairman Lee Hsien Yang.

He was also recently ranked the best speaker at the prestigious annual Cambridge IV international debating competition organised by the Cambridge Union.
 
 
 

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