It’s an 8-way tie for National Spelling Bee championship
The eight co-champions celebrate after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Friday, May 31, 2019, in Oxon Hill, Md. The spelling bee ended in unprecedented 8-way championship tie after organizers ran out of challenging words. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
E.W. Scripps CEO Adam Symson, right, presents a trophy to the eight co-champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Friday, May 31, 2019, in Oxon Hill, Md. The spelling bee ended in unprecedented 8-way championship tie after organizers ran out of challenging words. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Eight spellers were better than the dictionary. They were better than anything the Scripps National Spelling Bee could throw at them. And they all ended up with a hand on the trophy.
In the most extraordinary ending in the 94-year history of the competition, the bee ended in an eight-way tie on Thursday night. The eight co-champions spelled the final 47 words correctly, going through five consecutive perfect rounds.
Each will get the full winner’s prize of $50,000 in cash.
They are: Rishik Gandhasri, Erin Howard, Saketh Sundar, Shruthika Padhy, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and Rojan Raja.
