California Crowned a New National Champion

Words like bromocriptine and taurokatapusia lit the stage as a new champion was determined. In a thrilling showdown, Shree Parikh claimed the title of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion.

“I feel very, very, very happy. And I’m kind of relieved this long, long ‘Bee’ is over; it was really stressful,” Parikh expressed after his win. This wasn’t his first outing; the 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga had previously reached the finals.

Back in 2024, he secured third place but missed the national competition in 2025, which prompted him to reassess his approach to spelling.

“Last year was tough; I felt really down and upset. It took me a while to get over it,” he shared.

After a six-month hiatus, Parikh returned to his training with renewed focus, and the hard work clearly paid off. Competing in an intense final round, he eventually moved to a spell-off, breaking a national spelling bee record by spelling 32 words in 90 seconds, with his final word being “bromocriptine.”

“I told myself this was going to end soon, which helped me step back a bit and just focus,” he said, reflecting on his mindset during the competition.

In this final spell-off, 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta took second place after spelling 25 words, while Saab Daravane, a three-time competitor, clinched third place for the second consecutive year.

“I was so nervous with each word, but I knew I had to trust my instincts,” Parikh recalled. “Once you start spelling, the nerves ease because you take control.”

His dedication was evident—five hours of daily study guided by his coach became the foundation of his success.

As the new champion, Parikh walked away with over $50,000 in prize money, a trip to Universal Orlando Resort, and a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster’s complete online reference service.