KEY POINTS:
Hamilton 13-year-old Thomas North was eliminated from the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC early this morning.
Thomas is reported to have stumbled over the word meniscus, a crescent moon or the curved upper surface of a column of water, in the preliminary round of the event.
An upset Thomas was consoled by his mother after the preliminary round.
Thomas is the fourth speller to represent New Zealand at the US Spelling Bee.
Of the 288 entrants 90 advance to the quarter-finals.
New Zealand Spelling Bee organiser Janet Lucas said while Thomas was clearly disappointed, it was a huge achievement to even get to the US spelling bee, an event often called the Olympics of spelling.
New Zealand was one of ten countries outside of the United States to send entrants to the competition.
The spelling bee runs over two days finishing Saturday NZ time.
Thomas was named New Zealand's spelling bee champion in March, correctly spelling flotilla after a 22-round competition.
- NZPA
