12-Year-Old Bruhat Soma of Tampa Clinches the Scripps National Spelling Bee Crown
In an impressive display of orthographic skill, 12-year-old Bruhat Soma conquered the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Soma outspelled his rivals, including during a high-pressure lightning-round tie… 12-year-old Bruhat Soma of Tampa, Florida, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the English-speaking world's most prominent spelling contest, beating his competitors in a lightning-round tiebreaker. The seventh-grade student, Bruhat, had a track record of winning three consecutive bees and was rewarded with a prize exceeding $50,000. Despite several commercial breaks during the two-hour telecast, the excitement surrounding the contest was high. The winner was named "abseil" as Bruhat's winning word. The win marks another success story from the Tampa Bay region, marking another successful Indian American who has won the national title.
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In an impressive display of orthographic skill, 12-year-old Bruhat Soma conquered the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Soma outspelled his rivals, including during a high-pressure lightning-round tiebreaker, ultimately securing his victory on Thursday night. In addition to the coveted trophy, he was rewarded with a substantial prize exceeding $50,000 in cash and prizes.
Hailing from Tampa, Florida, the seventh-grade student had an unmatched track record of winning three consecutive bees prior to taking center stage at the convention center outside Washington. His determination was evident as he rose to the top of the English-speaking world’s most prominent spelling contest.
“I always want to win. And this was, like, my main goal,” Bruhat expressed. “It didn’t matter if I won all those other bees. This is what I was aiming for. So I’m just really happy that I won this.”
A mere eight finalists, the smallest group since 2010, entered the final round of the competition. The Scripps National Spelling Bee was structured for a two-hour telecast on Ion. Despite taking several lengthy commercial breaks, it didn’t diminish the excitement that surrounded the contest.
As the bee proceeded, an unexpected decision to jump into the “spell-off” tiebreaker was made before Bruhat and his opponent Faizan Zaki could engage in regular head-to-head spelling rounds.
“I do wish that we would have gotten to see more of a duel between them,” commented last year’s runner-up Charlotte Walsh, noting the decision to move directly into the spell-off was a curious one.
Bruhat set a high bar by correctly spelling 29 words in the tiebreaker. Faizan, who tackled the challenge with a bit more inconsistency, attempted 25 words but incorrectly spelled four. Ultimately, the competition named “abseil” — a term used in mountaineering to describe a roped descent — as Bruhat’s winning word.
Should time constraints arise, the competition’s rules allow for a spell-off to determine the winner. However, even with this approach, Scripps incorporated another commercial break before announcing Bruhat’s win.
Before the competition concluded, Bruhat had emerged victorious in multiple preeminent bees, showcasing his unparalleled spelling prowess.
Despite his numerous conquests, Bruhat revealed that there was one word, “tennesi,” that he hadn’t known, illustrating that even the most seasoned contenders face challenges.
Beyond the competition, Bruhat looks forward to unwinding over the summer, indulging in his love for basketball, which he had set aside to focus on the bee.
Bruhat’s win marks yet another success story from the Tampa Bay region, and once again, an Indian American — a commonality shared by 29 of the past 35 champions — has won the national title.
The hard work of Sam Evans, a 16-year-old coach and former speller, was also highlighted as it played a key role in tutoring Bruhat and other top finishers.
Bruhat’s remarkable journey and tireless preparation, including comprehensive spell-off practice, culminated in his awe-inspiring Scripps National Spelling Bee victory.