One 15-letter word stood between Faizan and the title of best speller in the English language. He nailed it
But Sarv misspelled again, followed in the next round by Sarvadnya, and Faizan stayed just calm enough to ensure his competitors wouldn't get back to the microphone.
It was a riveting conclusion to a competition that started in 1925 and appears to have a bright future. Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company, had a few dozen former champions on hand to celebrate the centennial of an event that began when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington.
Faizan lost to Bruhat Soma last year in a tiebreaker known as a 'spell-off'. He became only the fifth runner-up to come back and win and the first since Sean Conley in 2001.
With the winner's haul of $US52,500 ($81,700) added to his second-place prize of $US25,000, Faizan increased his bee earnings to $US77,500. His big splurge with his winnings last year? A $US1500 Rubik's cube with 21 squares on each side.
This is the last year the bee will be held at its home for the past 14 years, a convention centre just outside Washington on the banks of the Potomac River. In 2026, the competition returns to the nation's capital at Constitution Hall, a nearly century-old concert venue near the White House.
Other finalists
– Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee.
– Harini Murali, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, a finalist last year and the younger sister of Navneeth Murali, who would have been a top contender in the 2020 bee had it not been cancelled because of COVID-19.
–Esha Marupudi, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Chandler, Arizona, who is competing at the bee for the first time.
–Oliver Halkett, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Los Angeles and a two-time bee participant.
–Sarvadnya Kadam, a three-time speller and a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Visalia, California.
–Sarv Dharavane, an 11-year-old from Dunwoody, Georgia, who made the semifinals last year as a fourth-grader.
–Brian Liu, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Great Neck, New York, who was a semifinalist two years ago but didn't make it to the bee in 2024.
–Akshaj Somisetty, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and a two-time speller who leapt from quarterfinalist to finalist.
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The Advertiser
18 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Dasha's pre-match trash talk nothing to do with tennis
The war of words has started before their big French Open last-16 match - but with new Australian recruit Daria Kasatkina and her young friend Mirra Andreeva, the trash talk has nothing to do with tennis. It's all about the pair's 'vlogging' talent with the two of them delighted to wind each other up over their respective skills behind the camera and on the mike when they're working on Kasatkina's popular YouTube channel "What the Vlog". Giving its viewers an entertaining inside peek at the tennis scene, Kasatkina, who set up the channel with her figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, has given her fourth-round opponent Andreeva the chance to film the odd item for them too. And it led to the opponents previewing their Paris clash on Monday with some unflattering banter about their respective media skills. Asked what she thought of Kasatkina as an interviewer, Andreeva responded amid some laughter: "I think she can improve." On hearing this, Kasatkina who had already joked "I hate her" about the uber-talented 18-year-old world No.6, doubled down in mock horror: "I was right. I hate her! "Well, Mirra is not the one to talk about it because actually she had opportunity to interview players in our Rome vlog, so she took the camera, and went to talk with someone in the players' restaurant. It was terrible! "Also, the filming skills were not on point, so she needs to learn." Then, they were keen to point out that, actually, this knockabout stuff was just the way they communicate with each other. "You know, we're just giving little s--t to each other all the time, just joking around," said Kasatkina. "We are very good with each other. We were having ice bath together right now a couple of hours ago after our (third-round) matches." When it comes to tennis, though, Kasatkina admits there's not much she can teach this soar-away French-based phenom Andreeva. "The only thing I'm helping her, it's to get on the vlog," Kasatkina said. "Honestly, Mirra, she's a very nice girl and an amazing player. We've been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends. "She's super young and super talented, so she will achieve a lot of things." The two Russian-born players have practised regularly but only played once last October in a final in Ningbo, China, won by Kasatkina in three sets. "A big drama match," says the Australian, perhaps recalling how she ended up consoling the youngster, who was in floods of tears after letting a 3-0 lead slip in the final set. So what will she have to do to beat Andreeva? "I have to run a lot," she said. "Going to be long rallies. Mirra, she's not giving anything for free. You know, to get every point, I'll have to die on court. I'm ready for that." The war of words has started before their big French Open last-16 match - but with new Australian recruit Daria Kasatkina and her young friend Mirra Andreeva, the trash talk has nothing to do with tennis. It's all about the pair's 'vlogging' talent with the two of them delighted to wind each other up over their respective skills behind the camera and on the mike when they're working on Kasatkina's popular YouTube channel "What the Vlog". Giving its viewers an entertaining inside peek at the tennis scene, Kasatkina, who set up the channel with her figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, has given her fourth-round opponent Andreeva the chance to film the odd item for them too. And it led to the opponents previewing their Paris clash on Monday with some unflattering banter about their respective media skills. Asked what she thought of Kasatkina as an interviewer, Andreeva responded amid some laughter: "I think she can improve." On hearing this, Kasatkina who had already joked "I hate her" about the uber-talented 18-year-old world No.6, doubled down in mock horror: "I was right. I hate her! "Well, Mirra is not the one to talk about it because actually she had opportunity to interview players in our Rome vlog, so she took the camera, and went to talk with someone in the players' restaurant. It was terrible! "Also, the filming skills were not on point, so she needs to learn." Then, they were keen to point out that, actually, this knockabout stuff was just the way they communicate with each other. "You know, we're just giving little s--t to each other all the time, just joking around," said Kasatkina. "We are very good with each other. We were having ice bath together right now a couple of hours ago after our (third-round) matches." When it comes to tennis, though, Kasatkina admits there's not much she can teach this soar-away French-based phenom Andreeva. "The only thing I'm helping her, it's to get on the vlog," Kasatkina said. "Honestly, Mirra, she's a very nice girl and an amazing player. We've been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends. "She's super young and super talented, so she will achieve a lot of things." The two Russian-born players have practised regularly but only played once last October in a final in Ningbo, China, won by Kasatkina in three sets. "A big drama match," says the Australian, perhaps recalling how she ended up consoling the youngster, who was in floods of tears after letting a 3-0 lead slip in the final set. So what will she have to do to beat Andreeva? "I have to run a lot," she said. "Going to be long rallies. Mirra, she's not giving anything for free. You know, to get every point, I'll have to die on court. I'm ready for that." The war of words has started before their big French Open last-16 match - but with new Australian recruit Daria Kasatkina and her young friend Mirra Andreeva, the trash talk has nothing to do with tennis. It's all about the pair's 'vlogging' talent with the two of them delighted to wind each other up over their respective skills behind the camera and on the mike when they're working on Kasatkina's popular YouTube channel "What the Vlog". Giving its viewers an entertaining inside peek at the tennis scene, Kasatkina, who set up the channel with her figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, has given her fourth-round opponent Andreeva the chance to film the odd item for them too. And it led to the opponents previewing their Paris clash on Monday with some unflattering banter about their respective media skills. Asked what she thought of Kasatkina as an interviewer, Andreeva responded amid some laughter: "I think she can improve." On hearing this, Kasatkina who had already joked "I hate her" about the uber-talented 18-year-old world No.6, doubled down in mock horror: "I was right. I hate her! "Well, Mirra is not the one to talk about it because actually she had opportunity to interview players in our Rome vlog, so she took the camera, and went to talk with someone in the players' restaurant. It was terrible! "Also, the filming skills were not on point, so she needs to learn." Then, they were keen to point out that, actually, this knockabout stuff was just the way they communicate with each other. "You know, we're just giving little s--t to each other all the time, just joking around," said Kasatkina. "We are very good with each other. We were having ice bath together right now a couple of hours ago after our (third-round) matches." When it comes to tennis, though, Kasatkina admits there's not much she can teach this soar-away French-based phenom Andreeva. "The only thing I'm helping her, it's to get on the vlog," Kasatkina said. "Honestly, Mirra, she's a very nice girl and an amazing player. We've been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends. "She's super young and super talented, so she will achieve a lot of things." The two Russian-born players have practised regularly but only played once last October in a final in Ningbo, China, won by Kasatkina in three sets. "A big drama match," says the Australian, perhaps recalling how she ended up consoling the youngster, who was in floods of tears after letting a 3-0 lead slip in the final set. So what will she have to do to beat Andreeva? "I have to run a lot," she said. "Going to be long rallies. Mirra, she's not giving anything for free. You know, to get every point, I'll have to die on court. I'm ready for that." The war of words has started before their big French Open last-16 match - but with new Australian recruit Daria Kasatkina and her young friend Mirra Andreeva, the trash talk has nothing to do with tennis. It's all about the pair's 'vlogging' talent with the two of them delighted to wind each other up over their respective skills behind the camera and on the mike when they're working on Kasatkina's popular YouTube channel "What the Vlog". Giving its viewers an entertaining inside peek at the tennis scene, Kasatkina, who set up the channel with her figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, has given her fourth-round opponent Andreeva the chance to film the odd item for them too. And it led to the opponents previewing their Paris clash on Monday with some unflattering banter about their respective media skills. Asked what she thought of Kasatkina as an interviewer, Andreeva responded amid some laughter: "I think she can improve." On hearing this, Kasatkina who had already joked "I hate her" about the uber-talented 18-year-old world No.6, doubled down in mock horror: "I was right. I hate her! "Well, Mirra is not the one to talk about it because actually she had opportunity to interview players in our Rome vlog, so she took the camera, and went to talk with someone in the players' restaurant. It was terrible! "Also, the filming skills were not on point, so she needs to learn." Then, they were keen to point out that, actually, this knockabout stuff was just the way they communicate with each other. "You know, we're just giving little s--t to each other all the time, just joking around," said Kasatkina. "We are very good with each other. We were having ice bath together right now a couple of hours ago after our (third-round) matches." When it comes to tennis, though, Kasatkina admits there's not much she can teach this soar-away French-based phenom Andreeva. "The only thing I'm helping her, it's to get on the vlog," Kasatkina said. "Honestly, Mirra, she's a very nice girl and an amazing player. We've been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends. "She's super young and super talented, so she will achieve a lot of things." The two Russian-born players have practised regularly but only played once last October in a final in Ningbo, China, won by Kasatkina in three sets. "A big drama match," says the Australian, perhaps recalling how she ended up consoling the youngster, who was in floods of tears after letting a 3-0 lead slip in the final set. So what will she have to do to beat Andreeva? "I have to run a lot," she said. "Going to be long rallies. Mirra, she's not giving anything for free. You know, to get every point, I'll have to die on court. I'm ready for that."
West Australian
20 hours ago
- West Australian
Dasha's pre-match trash talk nothing to do with tennis
The war of words has started before their big French Open last-16 match - but with new Australian recruit Daria Kasatkina and her young friend Mirra Andreeva, the trash talk has nothing to do with tennis. It's all about the pair's 'vlogging' talent with the two of them delighted to wind each other up over their respective skills behind the camera and on the mike when they're working on Kasatkina's popular YouTube channel "What the Vlog". Giving its viewers an entertaining inside peek at the tennis scene, Kasatkina, who set up the channel with her figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, has given her fourth-round opponent Andreeva the chance to film the odd item for them too. And it led to the opponents previewing their Paris clash on Monday with some unflattering banter about their respective media skills. Asked what she thought of Kasatkina as an interviewer, Andreeva responded amid some laughter: "I think she can improve." On hearing this, Kasatkina who had already joked "I hate her" about the uber-talented 18-year-old world No.6, doubled down in mock horror: "I was right. I hate her! "Well, Mirra is not the one to talk about it because actually she had opportunity to interview players in our Rome vlog, so she took the camera, and went to talk with someone in the players' restaurant. It was terrible! "Also, the filming skills were not on point, so she needs to learn." Then, they were keen to point out that, actually, this knockabout stuff was just the way they communicate with each other. "You know, we're just giving little s--t to each other all the time, just joking around," said Kasatkina. "We are very good with each other. We were having ice bath together right now a couple of hours ago after our (third-round) matches." When it comes to tennis, though, Kasatkina admits there's not much she can teach this soar-away French-based phenom Andreeva. "The only thing I'm helping her, it's to get on the vlog," Kasatkina said. "Honestly, Mirra, she's a very nice girl and an amazing player. We've been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends. "She's super young and super talented, so she will achieve a lot of things." The two Russian-born players have practised regularly but only played once last October in a final in Ningbo, China, won by Kasatkina in three sets. "A big drama match," says the Australian, perhaps recalling how she ended up consoling the youngster, who was in floods of tears after letting a 3-0 lead slip in the final set. So what will she have to do to beat Andreeva? "I have to run a lot," she said. "Going to be long rallies. Mirra, she's not giving anything for free. You know, to get every point, I'll have to die on court. I'm ready for that."
Perth Now
20 hours ago
- Perth Now
Dasha's pre-match trash talk nothing to do with tennis
The war of words has started before their big French Open last-16 match - but with new Australian recruit Daria Kasatkina and her young friend Mirra Andreeva, the trash talk has nothing to do with tennis. It's all about the pair's 'vlogging' talent with the two of them delighted to wind each other up over their respective skills behind the camera and on the mike when they're working on Kasatkina's popular YouTube channel "What the Vlog". Giving its viewers an entertaining inside peek at the tennis scene, Kasatkina, who set up the channel with her figure skater girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako, has given her fourth-round opponent Andreeva the chance to film the odd item for them too. And it led to the opponents previewing their Paris clash on Monday with some unflattering banter about their respective media skills. Asked what she thought of Kasatkina as an interviewer, Andreeva responded amid some laughter: "I think she can improve." On hearing this, Kasatkina who had already joked "I hate her" about the uber-talented 18-year-old world No.6, doubled down in mock horror: "I was right. I hate her! "Well, Mirra is not the one to talk about it because actually she had opportunity to interview players in our Rome vlog, so she took the camera, and went to talk with someone in the players' restaurant. It was terrible! "Also, the filming skills were not on point, so she needs to learn." Then, they were keen to point out that, actually, this knockabout stuff was just the way they communicate with each other. "You know, we're just giving little s--t to each other all the time, just joking around," said Kasatkina. "We are very good with each other. We were having ice bath together right now a couple of hours ago after our (third-round) matches." When it comes to tennis, though, Kasatkina admits there's not much she can teach this soar-away French-based phenom Andreeva. "The only thing I'm helping her, it's to get on the vlog," Kasatkina said. "Honestly, Mirra, she's a very nice girl and an amazing player. We've been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends. "She's super young and super talented, so she will achieve a lot of things." The two Russian-born players have practised regularly but only played once last October in a final in Ningbo, China, won by Kasatkina in three sets. "A big drama match," says the Australian, perhaps recalling how she ended up consoling the youngster, who was in floods of tears after letting a 3-0 lead slip in the final set. So what will she have to do to beat Andreeva? "I have to run a lot," she said. "Going to be long rallies. Mirra, she's not giving anything for free. You know, to get every point, I'll have to die on court. I'm ready for that."
