US: 12YO Bruhat Soma Wins National Spelling Bee Contest, Earns $50K

On May 30, Bruhat Soma, an Indian-American student from Florida, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking home over $50,000 in cash and awards. In the tiebreaker round of this year's competition, Soma outplayed Faizan Zaki, who correctly spelt 20 words in the lightning round, by spelling 29 words in 90 seconds. The seventh-grader from Tampa, Florida, had won three spelling bees in a row before taking the stage in a convention centre outside of Washington, DC, for the most prestigious spelling bee contest in the English language.

Watch The Tiebreaker Showdown

#Speller47 Bruhat Soma from Florida cemented his win by correctly spelling his final word, "abseil." pic.twitter.com/SQtRZZvYHH

— Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) May 31, 2024

With just eight finalists at the start of the competition—the fewest since 2010—it was immediately apparent that Scripps was attempting to pack the two-hour broadcast window on Ion, the network owned by the media business located in Cincinnati. Spellcasters were able to mingle with their coaches, family, and fans at the side of the stage during the long commercial pauses that occurred frequently.

Before Bruhat and Faizan could even spell against one another in a traditional round, bee authorities declared that it was time for the tiebreaker, sometimes known as a "spell-off."Bruhat took the first turn, and it seemed unbeatable when he completed 30 words. At first, Faizan's speed was more erratic. He made 25 attempts at words, mispronouncing four of them. However, Bruhat excelled by spelling 29 words correctly, whereas Faizan managed 20.

Winning Moment

"Abseil," which in climbing refers to descending via rope, was Bruhat's winning word. He competently dealt with the tiebreaker, establishing an intense benchmark that Faizan was unable to meet. The Scripps Cup was lifted by Bruhat, who was commended by the tournament organizers for his flawless performance throughout the week. They pointed out that he didn't misspell a single word.

After competing in the national spelling bee competition and placing 74th in 2023 and 163rd in 2022, Bruhat's triumph marked a turning point in his career. Sam Evans, a 16-year-old former speller who serves as his coach, was important in his training. A $25,000 reward was awarded to the runner-up, Faizan Zaki of Allen, Texas. Shrey Parikh from Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Ananya Prasanna from Apex, North Carolina, tied for third place in the competition and won $12500.

Established in 1925, the Scripps National Spelling Bee is the largest and most established educational program in the country. Spellers spend months practising for this event since it is as much a high-profile, high-pressure endurance challenge as it is a geeky spelling bee.