Shree Parikh felt a wave of nervousness each time she approached the microphone at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, knowing it was the climax of her six-year journey in competitive spelling, filled with both triumphs and disappointments.
But when Jack Bailly announced the word, his previously tense demeanor transformed into one of confidence as he gave an enthusiastic nod, indicating his certainty in spelling it correctly.
“Once I get called, the nerves fade because then I’m the one in control,” Schley shared.
Shree, seen as the frontrunner, ultimately claimed the title on Thursday night, besting a skilled group of finalists, including Ishaan Gupta, in a rapid tiebreaker round that seemed decided the moment she said her first word.
She set a remarkable record: 32 correctly spelled words in just 90 seconds during a shootout-style finale, a format introduced in 2022.
“When I tallied them, I thought there were more than 30,” admitted Shree’s mother, Kyati Mehta. “And at that moment, I realized, ‘This is it.’
Ishaan put up a valiant fight, accurately spelling 25 words during the spell-off, but there was a noticeable hesitation in his pace. They stood side by side as Scripps officials confirmed what everyone in the crowded Constitution Hall already knew, and Shree turned to shake Ishaan’s hand.
After Saab Dalavain finished third for the second consecutive year, Shree and Ishaan managed just one regular round before the final sound marked the end of the stage.
Ishaan was then led off, with the tiebreaker being their sole chance to repeat the word. Schley stood anxiously for five minutes as officials tried but failed to resolve a technical issue with the buzzer, facing the pressure of his final challenge.
“I really felt scared during that time,” he recalled.
The rapid pace of the spell-off made it tricky to predict which word would seal the win; later, Scripps revealed that “bromocriptine,” a dopamine-mimicking polypeptide alkaloid, was the chosen word.
The victory came with $52,500 in cash and various other prizes, providing a high of excitement for Schley.
He’s now the 31st of the last 37 champions to be of Indian descent, following a winning streak that began with Nupur Lara in 1999.
Bouncing off the school bee stunner
Schley, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, took a unique road to this championship. He achieved third place in 2024 but skipped last year’s competition.
He even missed local contests, as he was out due to a fever. During that time, the word “caliper” came to mind, but he chose to forgo a contest that many his age would find easy: his school’s spelling bee.
“Right now, I think I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I feel joyful and at peace, just overflowing with emotion,” Schley expressed. “Last year was tough; I didn’t even realize how down I was until later. But I’m really proud of how I’ve bounced back.”
After taking some time off, he committed to honing his skills through coaching and study materials, winning several online matches against competitors he faced in Washington.
“When I quizzed him, he focused intently on the words he got wrong, analyzing each mistake to understand where he slipped up,” shared Sohum Sukhatankar, who, along with Sam Evans and Vijaya Ganesh, coached Shree. “He never missed a word under my guidance.”
Evans, who’s worked with the previous three champions, praised Schley’s dedication to the craft.
“I’ve never come across someone as devoted to mastering spelling bees and absorbing every ounce of knowledge related to it,” he noted. “Sully is relentless.”
A high-quality final comes to an abrupt end.
This particular format hasn’t found favor with spelling purists who prefer the final two contestants to engage over several rounds.
With an emphasis on speed, it sacrifices the excitement of seeing competitors navigate intricate words with tricky vowel arrangements and hidden consonants.
“This, in my view, distorts the values that many of us in the spelling community cherish,” observed Navneeth Murali, a former contestant turned coach. “It seemed everyone was hoping for an epic duel, but this issue persists. Adaptation is essential.”
A group of nine seasoned finalists showcased their prowess, standing equally at 18-18 and breezing through the initial spelling and vocabulary round until Aiden Meng stumbled on “catometope” in the second.
As the two words appeared that could clinch the title, anticipation hung thick in the air. Oliver Halkett faced “faesrae,” while Zwe Spacetime encountered “vaesite,” a word that posed a challenge with its complex etymology and vowel sequence.
Both Oliver and Zwe are in eighth grade, so they’re at that stage where the competition heats up.
Saab, a sixth-grader from Dunwoody, holds two more years to replicate Schley’s journey from third to first, while Ishaan, a seventh grader from Jersey City, has another chance next year.
The shift of the event’s location from a suburban convention center to Constitution Hall sparked controversy among participants and their families due to the added challenges.
Nonetheless, Thursday’s finale radiated energy, with a more intimate seating arrangement allowing the audience to engage closely with the contest, aided by a reboot of the broadcast featuring ESPN’s Mina Kimes and analyst Paul Loeffler.
The criteria by which Scripps named the champion can be debated, yet it was clear that Schley rightfully earned his victory, despite not receiving the customary confetti shower.
“In competition, he puts in everything he’s got,” his father, Gurav Parikh, noted.
Or, as Evans succinctly put it, “he has that dog inside him.”
