WHAT THEY DID
Both Kush Sharma and Sophia Hoffman prevailed, one could say, in an unprecedented spelling bee marathon lasting 96 rounds. The first session of 66 rounds for these residents of Kansas City, Missouri, ended in a tie when the judges ran out of assigned words, leading to a second session two weeks later. Although 13-year-old Kush won when he correctly spelled “definition,” it’s worth remembering that 11-year-old Sophia stumbled on “stifling,” bound to be an easy word for such an ace speller. Ultimately, it was a test of endurance that could have stifled even an adult speller. Kush will go on to the national contest in D.C.—and Sophia, of course, can wait for 2015.
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