Ananya Vinay’s victory broke the bee’s three-year streak of ending in a tie.
(Jodi shares all the details at 14:20)
According to USA TODAY:
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Ananya Vinay of Fresno, Calif., is the winner of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Ananya, a 12-year-old sixth-grader, captured the championship title by correctly spelling “marocain,” which is a dress fabric made from silk or rayon, during the 36th round of the annual competition Thursday night. The second-place finisher was Rohan Rajeev of Edmond, Okla.
Ananya’s victory broke the bee’s three-year streak of ending in a tie. She wins $40,000 in cash, a trophy and other prizes.
“It’s like a dream come true, I’m so happy right now,” Ananya said upon receiving the winner’s trophy. “I just focused on my word and tried to spell it right.”
In a post-victory interview, Ananya told reporters she recognized one of the final words because it had been mentioned in her social studies book.
Want to hear more? Listen to Murphy Sam and Jodi: On Demand
When you subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or Google Play store, you get exclusive stuff you won’t hear on the show!
And while you’re at it… be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.