Whether he was faced with inscrutable words like “hwyl,” “potto” or “pluchea,” California teenager Shrey Parikh’s confident nod never faltered as he methodically spelled his way to win the United States’ national spelling bee on Thursday.
It was the 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga’s third time as a finalist at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where he beat out 247 other contestants who have been competing for three days at Washington’s Constitution Hall.
But underneath his calm demeanor, Parikh said he had worried early on in the contest, “because I knew the word, but, you know, when you’re on stage you always kind of doubt yourself, so I’m glad I just stuck with my gut and got it right.”…