14-Year-Old Spells 32 Words in 90 Seconds to Win Nat'l Bee

A 14-year-old from California just turned his worst spelling moment into his greatest victory, setting a record that proves resilience really does pay off.

Shrey Parikh walked away as the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion after spelling an incredible 32 words correctly in just 90 seconds. That's the fastest performance in the competition's lightning-round format, which only started in 2022.

The win comes after one of the most embarrassing moments of Shrey's six-year spelling career. Last year, battling a fever and feeling woozy from a virus, he misspelled "calipers" at his school bee. For a speller of his caliber, missing such a basic word was crushing.

"At my school bee last year, I was really dejected and just very upset," Shrey said after his win. "I had a really tough time, but I'm glad I was able to bounce back."

And bounce back he did. After taking a few months off, the Rancho Cucamonga teenager rededicated himself completely. He worked with coaches, analyzed every word he missed, and competed in online bees against the same competitors he'd face in Washington.

His coach Sam Evans, who has worked with the past three champions, noticed something special. "I've really never seen someone put this much effort into spelling bees, into learning everything that he possibly can. Shrey is relentless."

That relentless preparation showed when Shrey faced off against 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta in the final tiebreaker. While Ishaan spelled 25 words correctly (impressive by any measure), Shrey blazed through his list with confidence. His mother Khyati Mehta was counting along: "I'm like, OK, this is more than 30. And at that point, I'm like, 'I think this is it.'"

The winning word? "Bromocriptine," a polypeptide alkaloid that mimics dopamine activity. Shrey's nervous energy before each word vanished the moment he heard it. "Once I get the word, I'm not really nervous anymore, because then it's all in my control."

Why This Inspires

Shrey's journey shows that our lowest moments don't define us. Missing "calipers" while sick could have ended his competitive spelling career. Instead, it became the fuel that pushed him to work harder than ever before.

His story also highlights the power of good coaching and community support. Working with former champions who believed in him, Shrey transformed his natural talent into championship-level performance through analysis, practice, and sheer determination.

For his victory, Shrey takes home $52,500 in cash, a trophy, and the satisfaction of knowing he turned heartbreak into triumph. Right now, he says, he's "probably the happiest I've ever been."