Local News

Boy from Texas is Co-Champion of National Spelling Bee

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Nihar Janga, a fifth-grader from Austin, will share his title with Jairam Hathwar, a seventh-grader from New York as the co-champions of the National Spelling Bee.

The contestant, which aired on Thursday night, showed both Janga and Hathwar going head-to-head for 25 rounds before declaring both boys as co-winners. As Reuters reported, the duel continued so long as neither boy could capitalize correctly on the other’s misspellings.

Each boy receives a $40,000 cash prize and will share the title of co-champion of the U.S. Scripps National Spelling Bee. Nihar is “the youngest champion since 2002,” and is proudly from Austin. Both boys were one of 280 spelling extraordinaires narrowed down for the content, including the nation’s youngest contestant – a six-year-old from San Angelo, Texas.

The tie, though surprising, is not unprecedented as it is the third tie since the contest began in 1925. The 25-round spell-off that the boys underwent was supposed to quell this situation, but instead, it resulted in a true tie.

Upon winning, Nihar thanked his mom and said humbly, “I can’t say anything. I’m just in fifth grade.” We’re sure that we will see incredible things from this fifth-grader in the future!