Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American seventh grader Spelling Bee

He correctly spelled the word 'abseil'

Bruhat also spelled 29 words correctly in 90 seconds

Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American seventh grader from Florida, emerged victorious in the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word “abseil.” The term, which refers to a descent in mountaineering by means of a rope looped over a projection above, secured his win in an exciting tiebreaker.

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During the contest’s climax, Bruhat spelled 29 words correctly in 90 seconds, outpacing runner-up Faizan Zaki, who managed to spell 20 words correctly within the same timeframe. Bruhat’s exceptional speed and precision earned him over $50,000 in cash and other rewards.

The Bee’s executive director, Corrie Loeffler, noted the impressive performances of both finalists, highlighting how they had demonstrated remarkable skills throughout the competition. The spell-off, which was activated in the final minutes of the contest, gave the finalists a chance to showcase their talents even further.

Adam Symson, president and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Company, presented Bruhat with the championship trophy, praising his knowledge and composure. This victory marked Bruhat’s third participation in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, showing significant improvement from his previous standings of 74th place in 2023 and 163rd place in 2022.

Runner-up Faizan Zaki from Allen, Texas, received $25,000 for his commendable effort. The intense tiebreaker highlighted the extraordinary talent and determination of these young spellers, making it a memorable conclusion to this year’s competition.