California Teen Sets Record in Lightning-Fast Spelling Bee Victory

Redemption Through Speed

After years of close calls and heartbreaking defeats, 14-year-old Shrey Parikh from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. finally claimed the Scripps National Spelling Bee championship in dramatic fashion Thursday night. Parikh crushed 32 words to Gupta's 25, ending in "cashaw" (a type of plant) and setting a new spell-off record during the 90-second lightning round that determined the winner.

The victory was especially sweet for Parikh, who had experienced both triumph and devastating setbacks on his journey to the top. This is Parikh's third bee: He placed 89th in 2022 and third in 2024. But his path to this year's competition nearly ended before it began when woozy from a virus that caused a fever, he blanked on the word "calipers" and bowed out of a competition that any speller of his talent would consider child's play: the spelling bee at Day Creek Intermediate School.

"Spelling fast is what I do every day," Shrey said while hoisting the Scripps Cup high. "A spell-off just came naturally." His confidence showed in his body language throughout the competition, where his dour body language vanished as he nodded vigorously, his tell that, yes, he knew the words he was asked to spell.

The High-Stakes Showdown

The championship came down to Parikh and 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta from Jersey City, N.J. after both contestants successfully navigated 18 grueling rounds of competition. By the end of the seventh round, only Parikh and Gupta were left — and their success in the subsequent round brought them to the dreaded spell-off.

Spell-offs, which were introduced in 2021, are becoming something of a biannual trend at the National Spelling Bee: The 2022 and 2024 winners were determined in the speed rounds. However, Shrey beat both of those winners' records with 32 correct spellings out of around 35 words. The previous records were 22 words in 2022 by Harini Logan and 29 in 2024 by Bruhat Soma.

The spell-off moves so fast that it's impossible to tell which word secures the title, but Scripps later announced that "bromocriptine" — a polypeptide alkaloid that mimics the activity of dopamine — was the winner. When the results were announced, Shrey turned and shook Ishaan's hand in a moment of sportsmanship that capped an intense evening of competition.

Preparation Meets Opportunity

Parikh's victory was built on meticulous preparation and an elite coaching team. Shrey's coaching team included Sam Evans, who has tutored each of the past three champions, and Sohum Sukhatankar, a co-champion himself in 2019. His dedication was unmatched among competitors, with Evans saying "I've really never seen someone put this much effort into spelling bees, into learning everything that he possibly can. Shrey is relentless."

The psychological aspect of competition proved crucial for Parikh's success. "Once I get the word," Shrey said, "I'm not really nervous anymore, because then it's all in my control." This mindset helped him overcome the pressure of arriving as a favorite and performing under the bright lights of DAR Constitutional Hall, a grand concert hall a stone's throw from the White House.

Parikh will leave D.C. with $52,500 in cash and a slew of other perks, including hundreds of dollars' worth of reference works, flight credits and an astronaut meet-and-greet at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More , he becomes the 31st of the past 37 champions with Indian heritage, a run that began with Nupur Lala's victory in 1999.

The Future of Competitive Spelling

This year's competition showcased both tradition and innovation, as the first time in 15 years that the competition has been held in D.C., after a long stretch in Maryland and a year in Florida during COVID. Organizers decided to return the competition to its roots in its 101st year, citing the "prestige and honor that D.C. brings to this experience for spellers."

The spell-off format continues to generate excitement and debate within the spelling community. While some purists prefer traditional spelling rounds, the lightning format has produced thrilling finishes and record-breaking performances. For Parikh, who spent his final year of eligibility proving that preparation and perseverance can overcome setbacks, the format provided the perfect stage for redemption.