Nintendo Crowns Pokemon 2000 World Champ in Sydney

Proving that he's just as world class as the athletes striving for gold in Australia, Darryn Van Vuuren of the United Kingdom won Nintendo's first ever Pokemon World Championships. Each contestant used their own, personally trained Pokemon that were ported to Pokemon Stadium for the ultimate showdown. Runners-up for the event included Edwin Krause of Germany and Sergio Garcia Maroto of Spain. Ian Garvey, the U.S. Champ, missed the podium by inches and came in fourth.

The championship was part of a twenty-two day Pokemon fun and entertainment festival, which began September 12 at Pokemon Park. Located in Sydney University, Pokemon Park is an interactive area where Pokemon fans of all ages and nationalities can compete. Minoru Arakawa, president of Nintendo of America, said, "These competitors may not speak the same language, but they all understand Pokemon, which any way you say it translates to `fun'."