Indian American Shrey Parikh WINS 2026 Spelling Bee! 🏆 Dramatic Lightning Round Finish

 Rancho Cucamonga, California — 14-year-old Shrey Parikh has won the 98th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, defeating 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta in a lightning-round tiebreaker to become the 111th champion in the competition's history. 



The Championship Spell-Off

Parikh and Gupta were the final two spellers standing after a tense competition that culminated in a 90-second "spell-off" on Thursday night. In the tiebreaker, each speller raced to spell as many words as possible:


Parikh's dominant performance turned what began as a high-quality final into a conclusive victory, earning him the title of best young speller in the English language. 

Champion's Profile



Runner-Up: Ishaan Gupta




Prize Package

Parikh's victory comes with substantial rewards:

  • $52,500 cash prize 

  • Reference works from Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster 

  • Custom trophy and commemorative medal

  • $1,000 in Delta Air Lines flight credits

A Remarkable Spelling Journey

This victory marks a significant comeback for Parikh, who was the runner-up just two years ago in 2024, finishing behind Faizan Zaki. Zaki went on to win the 2025 Bee, making this year's final particularly meaningful as Parikh returned to claim the championship. 

Competition Details

The 2026 Bee featured 247 spellers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, and five countries: the Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates. After preliminary rounds, 167 spellers advanced, with 95 reaching the quarterfinals following the written spelling and vocabulary test.

Eight finalists ultimately reached Thursday's finals, with competitors advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors nationwide. To compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond eighth grade or be older than 15.spellingbee+1

Historical Context

Although this was the 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Parikh is officially the 111th champion due to multiple ties in the competition's history, including an eight-way tie in 2019. The Bee was first held in 1925 and has been canceled only twice: during World War II (1943–1945) and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). This year marked the competition's return to Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., a few blocks from the White House.

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