Indian American dominance continues for the 12th year.
For the first time in the 92-year history of the Spelling Bee, eight spellers have been declared winners. Seven of them are Indian Americans, extending the winning streak to the 12th year.
The champions are Rishik Gandhasri, Erin Howard, Saketh Sundar, Navneeth Murali, Shruthika Padhy, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and Rohan Raja.
Howard is the only one among the winners, who is not Indian American. Her victory marks the first time since 2007 a non-Indian American speller was named champion.
Here is the live round-by-round rundown:
Round 20: In unprecedented fashion Dr. Jacques Bailly tells the audience and speller that those that spell their word correctly will be named a champion.
Rishik correctly spells auslaut and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion.
Erin, upon receiving her word, excitedly asks for the definition.
Erin correctly spells erysipelas and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion.
Saketh correctly spells bougainvillea and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion.
This is the first time in Bee history three champions have been named.
Shruthika correctly spells aiguillette and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee c0-champion.
Sohum correctly spells pendeloque and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion.
Abhijay correctly spells palama and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion.
Christopher correctly spells cernuous and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion.
Rohan correctly spells and is named a 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee co-champion.
* * *
11:42: Nearly 3 hours later and half of the 16 finalists still remain at the beginning of round 19.
Rishik advances after spelling anthocyanin.
Erin correctly spells deixis.
Saketh advances after correctly spelling mondegreen.
Shruthika correctly spells limitrophe to advance.
Sohum spells seitan to advance.
Abhijay advances to the next round after spelling badderlocks.
Christopher correctly spells omphalopsychite to advance.
Rohan spells chapon correctly to advance to the final round.
11:34: With 8 spellers still left at the beginning of round 18, the new rule change means that there will only be three rounds left.
* * *
Rishik advances after correctly spelling murrain.
Erin spells calembour to advance.
Saketh correctly spells makimono to advance.
Shruthika correctly spells therblig.
Sohum advances after spelling paralipomena.
Abhijay spells cestui to advance.
Christopher advances after spelling Logudorese.
Rohan caps off round 18 by correctly spelling hochmoor.
* * *
11:18: There are still 8 spellers left at the beginning of round 17.
Rishik asks Dr. Baily for the time out of his own curiosity, causing the audience to laugh.
Rishik spells rhathymia correctly to advance.
Erin correctly spells tulisan.
Saketh again manages to spell his word, Roskopf, correctly with time running out.
Shruthika spells correctly Moazagotl to advance.
Sohum advances after spelling urfirnis.
Abhijay correctly spells aphesis to advance.
Christopher spells jacqueminot to advance.
Rohan spells Honiton correctly to end round 17.
Dr. Baily makes an announcement to the spellers telling them that although there are a lot of words left, there may not be enough to challenge these super-spellers. He says that he will provide three more rounds worth of words and the remaining spellers left will all be named co-champions.
* * *
11:09 pm: 8 are left standing as round 16 commences.
Rishik spells tjaele to advance.
Erin correctly spells Komondor to advance to the next round.
Saketh advances after he spells vraic.
Shrutika spells sphaeriid to advance.
Sohum advances after correctly spelling tathagata.
Abhijay advances after spelling chrotta.
Christopher correctly spells callejon to advance.
Rohan tries pronouncing his word but exaggerates the accent, much to the laughter of the audience.
Rohan correctly spells Gaeltacht to end round 16.
* * *
10:51 pm: 9 finalists left as round 15 starts.
Rishik spells fravashi to advance.
Simone is eliminated after misspelling tettigoniid.
Her elimination is met with a loud gasp and later standing ovation.
Erin correctly spells godet to advance.
Saketh advances after spelling Cytherean with seconds to spare, which seems to be a running theme for him.
Shruthika is met with loud applause after correctly spelling taurokathapsia.
Sohum advances after correctly spelling saucisson.
Abhijay correctly spells passacaglia to advance.
Christopher advances after spelling caramoussal.
Rohan spells choumoellier correctly to end round 15.
* * *
10:40 pm: There are 10 spellers left at the beginning of round 14.
Rishik advances after correctly spelling Nyaya.
Simone gives the definition of her word, manualiter, to Dr. Baily before spelling it correctly.
Erin correctly spells zamacueca to advance.
Saketh spells geeldikkop correctly to advance.
Alice incorrectly spells Rassenkreis.
Shruthika advances after spelling karmadharaya.
Sohum correctly spells allothimorph.
2 hours and 15 minutes in and still over half the finalists remain.
Abhijay advances after correctly spelling auftaktigkeit.
Christopher correctly spells imbirussu to advance.
Rohan caps off round 14 by correctly spelling Nibelung.
* * *
10:25 pm: 11 spellers remain as round 13 commences.
Rishik correctly spells chelydroid to begin round 13.
Simone confidently spells huanglongbing to advance.
Erin advances after spelling jindyworobak.
Saketh spells passepied to advance.
Alice correctly spells surculose to advance to the next round.
Navneeth is eliminated after incorrectly spelling ischiocerite.
10 spellers remain.
Shruthika correctly spells bresaola to advance to the next round.
Sohum spells chocalho to advance.
Abhijay correctly spells Catilinarian to advance.
Christopher advances to the next round after spelling grasseyement.
Round 13 comes to a close as Rohan correctly spells vintem.
* * *
10:04 pm: There are 13 spellers left to begin round 12.
Rishik spells coryphee correctly to start round 12.
Simone correctly spells leister to advance.
Erin spells meerschaum correctly to advance.
Nicholas is eliminated after misspelling jalap.
Saketh spells psammosere with seconds to spare.
Alice spells murrelet to advance.
Navneeth spells Beira to advance to the next round.
Colette is eliminated after misspelling Chama.
Two spellers have been eliminated in round 12 thus far.
Shruthika correctly spells thymele to advance.
Sohum advances after correctly spelling trachyte.
Abhijay correctly spells Heideggerian to advance.
Christopher spells Macclesfield to advance.
Rohan correctly spells calathos to end round 12.
* * *
9:43 pm: One speller was eliminated in round 10. Round 11 is about to begin.
Rishik correctly spells bottarga to kick off round 11.
Simone advances after correctly spelling athyreosis.
Erin spells pallone correctly to advance to the next round.
Nicholas spells lobbygow to advance.
Saketh advances after spelling doronicum.
Alice spells chaeobol to advance.
Yolanda is the third speller eliminated after she incorrectly spells hieracium.
Navneeth spells omphacite to advance.
Colette advances after spelling fucus correctly.
Shruthika spells paulopost to advance.
Sohum correctly spells cullis to advance.
Abhiay advances after spelling fonctionnaire.
Christopher spells bassanello correctly to advance.
Rohan correctly spells sobole to advance and cap off round 11.
13 finalists remain at the conclusion of round 11.
* * *
9:09 pm: No speller was eliminated in round nine. Round 10 is about to begin.
Rishik kicks off round 10 by correctly spelling myctophid.
Simone spells autotopagnosia to advance.
Aisha becomes the first speller to be eliminated after incorrectly spelling cuirassier.
Erin spells tinaja to advance.
Nicholas correctly spells oeconomus.
Saketh spells paxiuba correctly to advance.
Alice spells psoas to advance.
Yolanda correctly spells Maillard to advance.
Navneeth advances after correctly spelling haustellum.
A clip of Colette from an earlier round, along with clips of various clutch moments in sports, is shown as she manages to correctly spell her word before time runs out.
Collete spells concentus correctly to advance.
Shruthika advances after spelling Borinqueño.
Sohum spells Golconda correctly to advance.
Abhijay advances after spelling terrones.
Christopher spells atabaque correctly to advance.
Rohan advances after spelling bozzetto correctly.
Hephzibah is the second speller eliminated after she incorrectly spells flaser.
* * *
Rishik Gandhasri is the first speller to step to the mic during round nine.
Rishik spells frailejon correctly with seconds left to advance.
Simone Kaplan spells her word, stakhanovite, correctly to advance to the next round.
Aisha Randhawa spells jabiru correctly to advance.
Erin Howard correctly spells Tophet to advance.
Nicholas D’Sa advances after correctly spelling alloeostropha.
Maryland native Saketh Sundar advances after spelling scuppaug.
Alice Liu spells kairos to advance to the next round.
Yolanda Ni correctly spells psithyrus to advance.
Navneeth Murali spells marmennill to advance.
Colette Giezentanner advances after spelling holishkes.
2014 co-champion Ansun Sujoe takes the stage to tell the audience about his future plans and recounts a story about a couple who recognized him three years after he won. One piece of advice he gave spellers: “Be chill, be real and have a thrill.”
Shruthika Padhy correctly spells emberizine with seconds to spare.
Sohum Sukhatankar advances after correctly spelling quarrion.
Abhijay Kodali spells alferez to advance to the next round.
Christopher Serrao correctly spells apophysitis.
Rohan Raja spells kagura to advance.
The final speller of round nine, Hephzibah Sujoe, correctly spells her word to advance
8:30 pm: 10 of the remaining 16 finalists are Indian Americans.
The 34 spellers who did not make the final round have taken a “front court seat” to watch their peers compete for the championship.
The spellers tonight come from a pool of nearly 11 million spellers from around the world. This year, 562 of those spellers, up from 515 in 2018, made it to the national stage.