LAHORE, Oct 2: Khalid Mansoor, Huda Fatima and Sehrish Ejaz emerged as national champions in their age groups in the second ‘Dawn in Education National Spelling Bee’ finals at the DHA Auditorium here on Sunday.

A student of the EMS High School, Islamabad, Khalid Mansoor was winner in the 9-11 age group final. He was followed by Aqsa Gill of the Army Public School, Karachi, and Iman Aziz Akhtar of the Khaldunia High School, Islamabad, who stood first and second runners-up respectively.

In the 12-14 age group final, winner Huda Fatima represented the Mama Parsi Girls School, Karachi, while first and second runners-up Yumna Fatima and Saeeda Mansoor belonged to the Bloomfield Hall, Johar Town branch, Lahore, and the EMS High School, Islamabad, respectively.

In the 15-17 age group final, winner Sehrish Ejaz represented the EMS High School, Islamabad, while first and second runners-up Maha Sana Kazmi and Syeda Yumna Sarwar belonged to the EMS High School, Islamabad, and the Generations School, Karachi, respectively.

Organized by the Dawn Group of Newspapers, the competitions were participated in by 1,389 students of the 244 private and public schools drawn from all over the country.

Three city champions and as many first and second runners-up in the 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17 age groups each were chosen in Karachi and Lahore from Sept 27 to Sept 29 and in Islamabad from Sept 23 to Sept 25.

A total of 27 students — nine each from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad schools — got through to the finals, which was supervised by judges nominated by the British Council.