Watch CBS News

Competitors Descend On New York To Test Their Minds In Annual USA Memory Championship

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Adult and youth participants from around the country descended on Con Edison's Grand Auditorium in Manhattan for the 16th annual USA Memory Championship, on Saturday.

Competitors memorized arbitrary pieces of information about the order of playing cards, names and faces, poems, and lists of random numbers and words, according to event officials.

The youngest competitors were a pair of 12-year-olds who decided to give it a shot after watching the event last year.

"I had two 12-year-olds that watched this and said 'I'd like to be a mental athlete," founder Tony Dottino told 1010 WINS reporter Gary Baumgarten.

Mental Athletes Compete In The USA Memory Championships

This year's winner was Ram Kolli of Santa Monica, California.

The event was started as way to show people that they can improve their memory.

You may share your thoughts in our comments section below...

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.