Shrey Parikh was all business during multiple rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals May 28, not showing any signs of nervousness, relief, or joy.
He finally flashed a smile when the judges handed him the trophy, which he held over his head as his family joined him on stage.
“When you’re on stage, you always kind of doubt yourself,” he said regarding one word earlier in the night that nearly tripped him up. “I’m glad I really stuck with my gut.”
Other than that, he said, “It was just like another day of spelling for me.”
Parikh finished ahead of 246 peers who also made the trip to Washington this week. This was his third and final trip to the finals. He missed last year’s event, finished third in 2024, and 89th in 2022….