Kingi's gift of the gab nets silver

Rotorua's Kingi Biddle claimed second at the Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking competition in the US. File

Rotorua's Kingi Biddle is among the world's top speakers after taking out second place in the final of the Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking competition in the United States.

Mr Biddle took out second place while speaking in the competition at the 2013 Toastmasters International Convention in Cincinatti yesterday.

He was crowned the New Zealand champion in June at the national Toastmasters awards in Wellington before heading to the United States.

He made the final after giving a speech earlier in the week on finding a good work life/family balance. Yesterday he gave his second-place winning speech entitled The Sitting Place during which he spoke about the importance of play for adults.

"I spoke on just allowing our adult selves to play."

He talked about the importance of play to reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Mr Biddle joined Toast-masters in 2010 and is a member of Rotorua's Lunchtime Toastmasters Club. He has previously competed in the international event but this was the first year he had been placed.

When the Rotorua Daily Post spoke to him yesterday he was relaxing in his hotel room in Cincinatti and dealing with a hoarse voice after performing two hakas following his seven-minute speech.

"I feel fantastic. It was a really hard competition ... I'm extra proud to be a son of Rotorua."

Mr Biddle said he had already been asked to speak in Dubai and his next goal was to bring home gold from the international speaking competition.

Presiyan Vasilev from Bulgaria took out first place and Shurooq Albanna from the United Arab Emirates came in third.