World Champion of Public Speaking 2010

Online news:
Texan Becomes Newest Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking

Attorney David Henderson wins title during annual Convention, earning cheers from an international audience of more than 1,600.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- "We all fall down. That's the bad news. No matter how far you fall, love will lift you up." With these words, attorney David Henderson, a Toastmaster from San Antonio, Texas, rose above a field of nine contestants to win the final round of the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking on Saturday, Aug. 14. Henderson presented his winning speech, titled "The Aviators" to a crowd of more than 1,600 fellow Toastmasters from 113 countries.

Henderson claimed the title of 2010 World Champion of Public Speaking during the Toastmasters International Convention, held in Palm Desert, Aug. 11-14.

In his acceptance speech, Henderson shared with the audience his winning strategy. When it comes to connecting with an audience, he said, "Don't tell people, just show them."

Presenting his speech dressed in an aviator helmet, goggles, bomber jacket and long "Snoopy" scarf, Henderson brought to life his heartfelt story of loving and then losing a cherished childhood friend.

He demonstrated his emotional story about coping with loss by literally falling on the stage.

Speakers delivered five to seven minute presentations on wide-ranging topics, and were judged on content, organization and delivery. The nine final contestants reached the Convention after several eliminating rounds that began with 30,000 participants.

Second and third-place winners in the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking were Robert Mackenzie of Los Angeles, Calif., with his speech, "My Alter Ego," and Linus Chang of Canterbury, Victoria, Australia, with his speech titled "Being Jane."


Source: Toastmasters International Official Website
Here is the list of Toastmasters International Past World Champions of Public Speaking.

Note that only Toastmasters are allowed to compete and so the winner is a world champion amongst Toastmasters only worldwide.

Toastmasters Clubs from Malaysia were allowed to participate starting from 1997 when District 51 became a full district.

In 2008, a Malaysian, K Logandran, won the 2nd place in Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. What an achievement!

Now, who will be the first Malaysian born Toastmaster to become the World Champion of Public Speaking? and when? Soon I hope.

2010 David Henderson - San Antonio, Texas
2009 Mark Hunter - Albany Creek, Queensland, Australia
2008 Lashunda Rundles - Dallas, Texas
2007 Vikas Jhingran - Cambridge, Massachusetts
2006 Edward Hearn - Chicago, Illinois
2005 Lance Miller - Glendale, California
2004 Randy Harvey - Sherwood, Oregon
2003 Jim Key - Rowlett, Texas
2002 Dwayne Smith - Decatur, Georgia
2001 Darren LaCroix - Auburn, Massachusetts
2000 Ed Tate - Aurora, Colorado
1999 Craig Valentine - Ellicott City, Maryland
1998 Brett Rutledge - Auckland, New Zealand
1997 Willie Jones - Honolulu, Hawaii
1996 David Nottage - Auckland, New Zealand
1995 Mark Brown - Mount Vernon, New York
1994 Morgan McArthur - Idaho Falls, Idaho
1993 Otis Williams Jr. - Cincinnati, Ohio
1992 Dana LaMon - Lancaster, California
1991 David Ross - Norman, Oklahoma
1990 David Brooks - Austin, Texas
1989 Don Johnson - Torrance, California
1988 Jerry Starke - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1987 Harold Patterson - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1986 M. Arabella Bengson - Islington, Ontario, Canada
1985 Marie C. Pyne - Ireland
1984 Joe Boyd - Bellingham, Washington
1983 Roy Fenstermaker - Downey, California
1982 Kenneth Bernard - Australia
1981 Jim Joelson - Reno, Nevada
1980 Jeff Young - Los Angeles, California
1979 Dick Caldwell - Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1978 Michael Aun II - Lexington, South Carolina
1977 Evelyn Jane Burgay - Springfield, Virginia
1976 William Johnson - Aberdeen, Maryland
1975 Andy McKay - Rochester, New York
1974 Bennie Powell - Los Angeles, California
1973 Charles W. "Doc" Stewart - San Antonio, Texas
1972 Rudy Valle - Canoga Park, California
1971 Bert Angus - Transcona, Manitoba, Canada
1970 Stephen D. Boyd
1969 Dennis Nangers - Delano, California
1968 Grant R. Sheehan - Washington, D.C.
1967 Dale Smith - Goshen, Indiana
1966 Michael Yaconelli - San Diego, California
1965 John L. Nydegger - Lewiston, Idaho
1964 Anthony C.L. Bishop - Northridge, California
1963 Larry D. Beitel - Winston-Salem, North Carolina
1962 Robert Garton - Columbus, Indiana
1961 John J. Carver - Seattle, Washington
1960 Glenn E. Carroll - Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
1959 Dean F. Berkeley - Bloomington, Indiana
1958 Edmund Shire
1957 Charles Jones - Fort Smith, Arkansas
1956 David Holmes Jr. - Toledo, Ohio
1955 Charles W. Bryant - Tacoma, Washington
1954 Herbert Thompson - Wood River, Illinois
1953 Theodore B. Furlow - Long Beach, California
1952 George W. Armstrong - Omaha, Nebraska
1951 Albert Green Jr - Seattle, Washington
1950 Charles Hilton - Mason City, Iowa
1949 Dalton McAllister - Fort Wayne, Indiana
1948 Robert Dellwo - Spokane, Washington
1947 Douglas Sherwin - Clearlake, Iowa
1946 Thor Myhre - Spokane, Washington
1945 NO CONVENTION
1944 NO CONVENTION
1943 Llyod Prante
1942 Cavett Robert - Phoenix, Arizona
1941 John McInnis
1940 David MacFarlane - Santa Monica, California
1939 William Roberts - Huntington Park, California
1938 Henry Wiens - Reedley, California