Ever heard of ‘bromocriptine’? This teen spelled it to win $50,000

Most adults would struggle to pronounce them, let alone spell them. Yet for 14-year-old Shrey Parikh, words such as hwyl, philepitta and bromocriptine became stepping stones to one of America’s most coveted academic titles.

The California teenager outspelled 247 competitors to win the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, sealing victory in a dramatic 90-second spell-off that tested speed, memory and nerves under pressure.

Parikh, competing in his third national final, correctly spelled 32 words in the lightning-round tiebreaker, comfortably ahead of New Jersey’s Ishaan Gupta, who managed 25. The championship-winning word was later revealed to be “bromocriptine”, a complex scientific term that ultimately secured the title.

A final decided by speed

The annual competition, held at Washington’s Constitution Hall, brought together some of the brightest young spellers in the United States. Contestants battled through multiple rounds over three days before the contest narrowed to its final two competitors.

This year’s championship was decided by the bee’s signature “spell-off” format, a high-pressure tiebreaker in which finalists have 90 seconds to correctly spell as many words as possible.

Parikh thrived under the format, rattling off 32 correct spellings compared with Gupta’s 25 to turn a tense final into a comfortable victory.

Despite appearing composed on stage, the teenager later admitted he experienced moments of uncertainty.

“You always kind of doubt yourself when you’re on stage,” he said, adding that trusting his instincts helped him navigate some of the competition’s toughest words.

The words that tested America’s best spellers

Among the challenging words that featured during the competition were:

• hwyl — a Welsh word describing deep emotional inspiration or enthusiasm

• philepitta — a bird native to Madagascar

• Ertebolle — a prehistoric culture of northern Europe

• Metohija — a region in the Balkans

• Kolami — a language spoken in parts of India

• bromocriptine — the scientific term that sealed Parikh’s victory

The competition requires contestants to master not only spelling but also word origins, language families and pronunciation patterns drawn from cultures around the world.

A comeback story

The victory was especially significant because Parikh’s path to the title included a major setback.

Last year, he failed to reach the national competition after losing his school spelling bee while battling a fever. The defeat left him devastated and forced him to watch from the sidelines.

“Right now I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been,” he said after claiming the title. “I’m just so happy and relieved.”

Rather than discouraging him, the disappointment became motivation.

Parikh spent the following year competing in online spelling contests, studying advanced word lists and working with three coaches, including former spelling champions and veteran bee mentors.

His father, Gaurav Parikh, later described the setback as “a blessing in disguise”, saying it taught his son how to deal with adversity and bounce back stronger.

Years of preparation

This was not Parikh’s first taste of national success.

He had already established himself as one of the country’s top young spellers, finishing third at the national bee in 2024 and arriving this year as one of the favourites.

Observers described this year’s field as exceptionally strong. Contestants opened the finals with a flawless run through the early rounds before difficult words gradually reduced the field.

Runner-up Gupta, a seventh-grader from Jersey City, impressed many observers and remains eligible to compete again next year. Third place went to Sarv Dharavane of Georgia, who matched his third-place finish from last year.

A century-old tradition

The Scripps National Spelling Bee has been a fixture of American academic life since 1925 and remains one of the country’s most recognisable student competitions.

For his victory, Parikh received the prestigious Scripps Cup trophy and more than $50,000 in prize money, along with other awards from sponsors.

- with inputs from AP, AFP